[Purpose] This study aimed to investigate the effects of combining transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) with plyometric training on lower-limb muscle activation and cardiorespiratory function in male amateur soccer players.[Methods] Thirty male amateur soccer players were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 15) or a control group (n = 15). The experimental group performed plyometric training combined with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), whereas the control group performed plyometric training with sham stimulation. The intervention was conducted three times per week for four weeks. Lower-limb muscle activation (RF, VL, VM, and GCM) and cardiorespiratory function (MIP, MIFR, VO2max, Wmax, and MEC) were assessed before and after the intervention. Data were analyzed using a two-way mixed-design ANOVA.[Results] Both groups showed significant within-group improvements in muscle activation and cardiorespiratory variables (p < 0.05). However, the experimental group demonstrated significantly greater enhancements in RF, VL, VM, and GCM activation compared with the control group (p < 0.05). Between-group comparisons also revealed superior improvements in MIFR and Wmax in the experimental group (p < 0.05), while VO2max increased significantly over time in both groups without between-group differences. A two-way mixed-design ANOVA indicated significant group × time interactions for muscle activation and selected cardiorespiratory indices (p < 0.05), supporting enhanced neuromuscular and physiological adaptations in the experimental group.[Conclusion] Combining tDCS with plyometric training enhanced lower-limb muscle activation and cardiorespiratory function more effectively than plyometric training alone in amateur soccer players.
[Purpose] Blood flow restriction (BFR) training involves limiting blood flow to specific areas, enabling low-intensity exercise to mimic high-intensity workouts. This study explored the effectiveness of combining BFR with online exercise classes to improve strength and functionality in older adults.[Methods] Over ten weeks, men and women, N = 41 with 22 BFR and 19 control (CON), (mean age = 70 ± 6.2) participated in Zoom sessions twice a week. Strength in the hamstrings and quadriceps was assessed using a dynamometer, while functionality was tested with the 30-second sit-to-stand, 8-foot timed upand-go, and 30-second calf raise tests.[Results] Both the BFR and CON groups showed improvements in muscle strength and lower extremity functionality. However, the BFR group achieved greater gains, mainly in functional performance.[Conclusion] The observed preliminary evidence suggests that BFR augment the effectiveness of low-intensity exercise by providing an additional physiological stimulus without increasing mechanical load. This study highlights a novel, accessible, and practical strategy for improving functional mobility in aging populations, particularly for individuals who may be unable or unwilling to engage in higher-intensity training. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT06724393.
[Purpose] This study aimed to identify the body composition profiles of older adults with hypertension and examine their associations with physical fitness and cardiometabolic characteristics.[Methods] This cross-sectional study included 491 community-dwelling older adults with hypertension. Latent profile analysis was conducted using eight body composition indicators. Associations between age, physical fitness components, and profile membership were examined using multinomial logistic regression with a three-step approach. Systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and fasting plasma glucose levels were compared across profiles using one-way analysis of variance.[Results] Four profiles were identified: low muscle mass, balanced, high adiposity, and high muscle/low fat ratio. Handgrip strength, balance, and flexibility were significantly associated with profile membership, whereas age and aerobic endurance were not. The high adiposity profile had significantly higher systolic blood pressure than the low muscle and high muscle/low fat profiles, and higher diastolic blood pressure than the low muscle profile. The high muscle/low fat profile was associated with significantly lower fasting plasma glucose levels than the low muscle and high adiposity profiles.[Conclusion] Distinct body composition profiles in older adults with hypertension were associated with differences in physical fitness and cardiometabolic characteristics. These findings support the value of a person-centered approach that integrates body composition and physical fitness.
[Purpose] This study investigated whether long-term lactate ingestion induces systemic and tissue-specific metabolic adaptations under normal physiological conditions and whether these responses differ from those induced by exercise training.[Methods] Thirty-two male mice were randomly assigned to saline control, lactate ingestion, exercise training with saline, or exercise training with lactate groups (n = 8/group). Lactate (3 g/kg) or saline was administered by oral gavage five times per week for 16 weeks. Exercise-trained mice performed moderate-intensity treadmill exercise five times per week. Body composition, 24-h resting substrate utilization and energy expenditure, and metabolic protein abundance in the soleus muscle and epididymal white adipose tissue were assessed.[Results] Lactate ingestion reduced body fat percentage and absolute fat mass in untrained mice. Exercise increased resting carbohydrate oxidation, total energy expenditure, and skeletal muscle HK2, PDHA1, and GLUT4 abundance. Lactate ingestion increased skeletal muscle abundance of FAT/CD36, PDK4, MCT1, and MCT4 under untrained conditions. In epididymal white adipose tissue, molecular responses were limited, with the most robust changes observed for CIDEA, whereas the supplementation effect on GPR81 did not remain significant after false discovery rate correction. The combined intervention did not consistently produce additional adaptations beyond those observed with exercise training alone.[Conclusion] Long-term lactate ingestion and exercise training produced distinct but partially overlapping systemic and molecular response patterns. Lactate ingestion was associated with lower adiposity and increased abundance of skeletal muscle proteins related to fatty acid handling and lactate transport, whereas exercise training increased carbohydrate oxidation, energy expenditure, and the abundance of proteins associated with glucose metabolism.
[Purpose] d-Allulose has been reported to enhance fat oxidation during acute aerobic exercise; however, its effects during exercise training in humans remain unclear. We investigated the effects of d-allulose intake during exercise training on physiological responses to submaximal exercise in untrained young adults.[Methods] Eighteen untrained young adults were randomly assigned to receive a beverage with (ALLU) or without (PLA) 5 g of d-allulose 30 min before exercise. Participants exercised on a cycle ergometer at 50% of their estimated V4O2max for 30 min, 4 days per week, for 4 weeks. Heart rate at the end of each session was recorded as an indicator of physiological responses to submaximal exercise. Body composition and estimated V4O2max were measured before and after the intervention.[Results] No significant between-group differences were observed in body composition. The relative change in estimated V4O2max tended to be greater in the ALLU group than in the PLA group, although this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.09). The temporal pattern of absolute heart rate differed significantly between groups over the 4-week intervention period (treatment × week interaction, p = 0.007), with no significant between-group differences observed at individual weeks. Exploratory analysis showed that relative heart rate was significantly lower at Week 4 in the ALLU group than in the PLA group (p = 0.028).[Conclusion] Repeated d-allulose supplementation before exercise during 4 weeks of training was associated with a different temporal pattern of heart rate responses to submaximal exercise in untrained young adults. These preliminary findings warrant further investigation into the effects of d-allulose supplementation during exercise training.
