[Purpose] The present study aimed to verify the effects of an 8-week prop Pilates training program on body composition, blood pressure, core muscle mechanical properties, mental health, and physical fitness in postmenopausal women.[Methods] Twenty-four postmenopausal women were divided into a prop Pilates group (PPG, n = 12) and an apparatus Pilates group (APG, n = 12) via randomized equal sampling. All participants maintained their normal daily lifestyle during the study period and performed the Pilates intervention corresponding to each group for 8 weeks, 3 times per week, 50 min a day. The effectiveness of the two modalities was examined by analyzing pre- and post-intervention changes.[Results] PPG showed a significant decrease in external oblique muscle tone, STAI, and BDI and a significant increase in sit-ups, sit-and-reach, and one-leg stand with eyes closed. The APG showed a significant decrease in systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, mean arterial pressure, external oblique and erector spinae muscle tone, and BDI and a significant increase in grip strength, sit-ups, seated forward bends, and one-leg standing with eyes closed.[Conclusion] The present study confirmed that both prop Pilates and apparatus Pilates were effective in improving the mechanical properties of the core muscles, mental health, and physical fitness of postmenopausal women. Overall, significant time effects were observed in the APG for blood pressure, lumbar erector spinae muscle tone, and grip strength.
[Purpose] This study aimed to determine the time course of changes in bone mass and bone strength induced by the combination of voluntary running exercise and food restriction in young female rats.[Methods] Female Sprague-Dawley rats (aged 7 weeks) were randomly divided into the following three experimental groups after a 1-week acclimatization period: sedentary and ad libitum feeding (SED), voluntary wheel running exercise and ad libitum feeding (EX), and voluntary wheel running and food restriction (EX-FR). Dissections were performed at 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks. The strength of the femoral mid-shaft was assessed using the three-point bending test. The bone mineral density (BMD) of the tibia was measured using a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry machine.[Results] At 2 weeks, the body weight, abdominal fat weight, and bone weight of the femur in the EX-FR group were significantly lower than those in the SED and EX groups. The BMD of the tibia in the EX-FR group was significantly lower than that in the EX group. At 4 weeks, the bone strength of the femur in the EX-FR group was significantly lower than that in the EX group. At 8 weeks, the bone strength of the femur in the EX-FR group was significantly lower than that in the SED group.[Conclusion] These findings demonstrate that bone mass is affected earlier than bone strength under energy-deficient exercise conditions, providing important insights into the temporal progression of bone impairment associated with relative energy deficiency
[Purpose] Female footballers frequently experience menstrual cycle-related symptoms, often most severe during menstruation, compounding exercise-induced muscle soreness, and impairing performance and wellbeing. Turmeric and ginger have anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties and may alleviate menstrual symptoms and reduce exercise-induced muscle soreness, but have not been studied as a whole-food combined beverage. This study investigated the effects of daily consumption of a turmeric and ginger containing beverage (TGB) on menstrual cycle related symptoms, post-match soreness, and markers of inflammation.[Methods] Six sub-elite female footballers completed a six-month protocol involving a 99-day control period without TGB consumption (CON), followed by an 89- day intervention period with self-administered daily TGB consumption (TGB). Each TGB contained juice from 35 g turmeric root and 6 g ginger root, with a black pepper mix (BioMax Uptake Blend®). Menstrual cycle-related symptoms were self-reported daily during menstruation, while muscle soreness (leg-specific and whole-body) and plasma concentrations of creatine kinase (CK), C-reactive protein (CRP), and intestinal fatty acid-binding protein (I-FABP) were assessed immediately after five competitive matches during each period.[Results] Physical menstrual symptoms were reduced 10% during TGB compared with CON (P = 0.013). No differences between trials were observed for psychological menstrual symptoms (P = 0.209), post-match soreness (leg-specific: P = 0.388; whole-body: P = 0.633), CK (P = 0.303), CRP (P = 0.917), or I-FABP (P = 0.322).[Conclusion] This study provides preliminary evidence that a daily turmeric and ginger-containing beverage can reduce physical menstrual cycle-related symptoms in female footballers, providing scope for larger placebo-controlled trials to confirm efficacy.
[Purpose] This study aimed to determine if a lifestyle-based questionnaire on vitamin D can effectively screen for vitamin D deficiency in community-dwelling older women and whether such deficiency correlates with negative functional and physiological profiles.[Methods] Eighty older women completed a vitamin D questionnaire that assessed their dietary intake, sunlight exposure behaviors, and awareness of vitamin D. They also provided fasting blood samples, with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels used to classify participants as deficient or non-deficient. Body composition and performance on the Senior Fitness Test (SFT) were evaluated, alongside measurements of circulating myostatin, follistatin, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and interleukin-1 beta. Differences between groups and correlations among questionnaire scores, serum vitamin D levels, and assessed outcomes were analyzed.[Results] The group with vitamin D deficiency exhibited lower muscle mass, poorer muscle function, and reduced cardiorespiratory endurance compared to the non-deficient group. Additionally, the deficient group had higher levels of myostatin, lower levels of follistatin, a diminished follistatin-to-myostatin ratio, and elevated inflammatory cytokines. Positive associations were found between serum vitamin D levels and questionnaire total scores with muscle mass and functional measures, while inverse relationships were noted with myostatin and inflammatory markers.[Conclusion] The questionnaire-based approach proved effective for identifying older women at risk for vitamin D deficiency. Combined with serum vitamin D status, it was associated with functional impairment and an unfavorable myokine-inflammatory profile. This supports the implementation of community screening to identify high-risk individuals for further testing and targeted lifestyle interventions.
[Purpose] To synthesize clinical, cognitive, safety, and mechanistic evidence on supervised high-intensity interval training (HIIT) after stroke and translate key findings into practice.[Methods] We conducted a narrative review of supervised HIIT interventions in adults after stroke. Electronic searches of PubMed and Web of Science identified studies published between January 1, 2014, and September 30, 2025. Eligibility criteria emphasized feasibility, safety, and neurofunctional outcomes (six-min walk distance, gait speed, peak aerobic capacity, activities/participation, and cognition). Quantitative pooling was not performed, and the findings were qualitatively synthesized. To explain biological plausibility, mechanistic and translational sources were reviewed irrespective of the year and summarized separately.[Results] HIIT was feasible under guideline-concordant screening and monitoring, with no serious adverse events. Consistent gains were observed in aerobic capacity, walking endurance, and usual gait speed, whereas activity/participation effects were mixed. Cognitive benefits were domain-specific and the clearest for executive functions. Mechanistic signals (e.g., brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), frontal oxygenation,and endothelial function) support biological plausibility.[Conclusion] Supervised HIIT appears safe and clinically useful for augmenting locomotor and aerobic outcomes after stroke and may preferentially enhance executive cognition. Implementation should complement task-specific therapy and follow standard screening and monitoring procedures. Future work should refine dose- and phase-specific protocols to maximize application to daily function.
