scholarly journals Effects of Kaempfera parviflora Supplementation on the Cardiovascular Endurance of Athletes: A Randomized, Placebo Controlled, Parallel Design Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sombat Onsiri ◽  
Chatchai Amitpai ◽  
Natapong Sukomol ◽  
Nutthakritta Sirisopon ◽  
Amnuay Tanpanit ◽  
...  

Background: Kaempfera (K.) parviflora (i.e., Thai ginseng) is believed to have medicinal properties associated with good health (e.g., increased vitality, metabolism booster) because it expands blood vessels, which allows for increased blood flow. These effects might extend into the realm of improving physical performance, specifically that of the cardiovascular system. Objectives: A randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel design study was conducted to determine the effects of 12 weeks of K. parviflora supplementation on the cardiovascular endurance of healthy male adults. Methods: Participants included 57 Thai air force cadets who were undergoing physical training for sports competition. Participants were randomly divided into either the treatment group (n = 30) (Age = 20.30 + 0.65 yrs.) or control group (n = 27) (Age = 20.37 + 0.68 yrs.). Treatment group participants received 360 mg of K. parviflora extract in capsule form, and those in the control group received a placebo capsule. Measurements included lactate threshold and heart rate recovery, assessed at baseline and weeks 6 and 12. Group differences were assessed using a 2 (group) × 3 (time) repeated-measures ANOVA. Results: No main or interaction effects were observed for the lactate threshold (all P > 0.05). No group differences were observed for heart rate recovery (P > 0.05); however, a significant time effect was observed for heart rate recovery at weeks 6 and 12 (P < 0.05), which also marked the beginning of an interaction effect showing that those in the experimental group improved more than those in the control group (P > 0.05). Conclusions: In this set of observations, 12-weeks of K. parviflora supplementation had no effect on the lactate threshold; however, it does appear that it might have improved heart rate recovery.

2018 ◽  
Vol 127 (11) ◽  
pp. 754-762 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrianna C. Shembel ◽  
Christopher J. Hartnick ◽  
Glenn Bunting ◽  
Catherine Ballif ◽  
Jessie Vanswearingen ◽  
...  

Objectives: (1) Identify laryngeal patterns axiomatic to exercise-induced laryngeal obstruction (EILO) and (2) investigate the role of autonomic function in EILO. Methods: Twenty-seven athletic adolescents (13 EILO, 14 control) underwent laryngoscopy at rest and exercise. Glottal configurations, supraglottic dynamics, systolic blood pressure responses, and heart rate recovery were compared between conditions and groups. Results: Inspiratory glottal angles were smaller in the EILO group than the control group with exercise. However, group differences were not statistically significant ( P > .05), likely due to high variability of laryngeal responses in the EILO group. Expiratory glottal patterns showed statistically greater abductory responses to exercise in the control group ( P = .001) but not the EILO group ( P > .05). Arytenoid prolapse occurred variably in both groups. Systolic blood pressure responses to exercise were higher in the control group, and heart rate recovery was faster in the EILO group. However, no significant differences were seen between the 2 groups on either autonomic parameter ( P > .05). Conclusions: “Paradoxical” inspiratory and blunted expiratory vocal fold pattern responses to exercise best characterize EILO. Group differences were only seen with exercise challenge, thus highlighting the utility of provocation and control groups to identify EILO.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Élida Pereira Silva ◽  
Bruno Alvarenga Soares ◽  
Mariana M. Reimberg ◽  
Raphael Ritti-Dias ◽  
Karina Silva Nascimento ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Inflammation caused by chronic lung disease in childhood may lead to delayed heart rate recovery (HRR) however, there is lack of evidence on HRR in this population. The aim was to assess HRR after functional capacity testing in asthmatic children and adolescents and to compare with severity and disease control. Method This was a study secondary to a randomized control trial. The modified shuttle test (MST) was performed to assess functional capacity and HRR. This is an externally cadenced test in which the distance walked is the outcome. HRR was assessed after MST and was defined as HR at exercise peak minus HR in the second minute after the end of exercise. Asthma control was assessed by the Asthma Control Test (ACT). Data normality was tested by Shapiro Wilk and the comparison between groups was made by Student’s t test or Mann Whitney test for numerical variables, and by Chi-square test for categorical variables. Statistical significance was considered when p < 0.05. SPSS version 20 was used in the analyzes. Results The sample included 77 patients diagnosed with asthma (asthma group - AG) who were regularly treated for asthma. Control group (CG) consisted of 44 volunteers considered healthy, matched in age and gender to AG. The median age of CG was 12 (10–14) years and in AG 11 (9–13 years) being classified as mild to moderate asthmatic, and 57% of the sample had controlled asthma by ACT. Distance walked in the CG was 952 ± 286 m and AG 799 ± 313 m, p = 0.001. HRR was more efficient in CG (79 ± 15 bpm) compared to AG (69 ± 12 bpm), p = 0.001. The mild (69 ± 12 beats) and severe (72 ± 15 beats) AG presented worse HRR compared to control group (79 ± 15 bpm), p < 0.05. Conclusions Asthmatic children and adolescents have delayed HRR after modified Shuttle test compared to their peers, suggesting that asthma leads to autonomic nervous system imbalance. Trial registration: Registered in Clinical Trials under number NCT02383069 and approved by the Universidade Nove de Julho - UNINOVE Research Ethics Committee, protocol number 738192/2014.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (21) ◽  
pp. 5171
Author(s):  
Dorota Wołyńczyk-Gmaj ◽  
Aleksandra Ziółkowska ◽  
Piotr Rogala ◽  
Dawid Ścigała ◽  
Ludwik Bryła ◽  
...  

Few studies have explored the influence of an Animal-Assisted Intervention on patients with mental disorders. We investigated it’s impact on anxiety symptoms. We divided 51 patients with anxiety symptoms into two groups—treatment group, that went for a short 15–20 min’ walk with a dog, his handler and a researcher and control group, that went for a walk only with a researcher. We used State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) of fear, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Ford Insomnia Response to Stress (FIRST), Brief symptom Inventory (BSI) and VAS of satisfaction after trial to assess. We also checked the resting blood pressure and resting heart rate before and after performing psychological tests while sitting. We have obtained full data of 21 people from the research group and 26 people from the control group. After the intervention, the treatment group reported lower anxiety levels as a state (Mean (M) = 34.35; Standard Deviation (SD) = 6.9 vs. M = 40.94; SD = 8.6) and fear (M = 1.05; SD = 1.0 vs. M = 2.04; SD = 2.2) than the control group. After a walk with a dog, trait anxiety (M = 34.35; SD = 6.9 vs. M = 46.3; SD = 9.6), state anxiety (M = 48.9; SD = 7.2 vs. M = 53.9; SD = 7.8), fear (M = 1.05; SD= 1.0 vs. M = 2.57; SD = 2.3) and resting heart rate (M = 71.05; SD = 12.3 vs. M = 73.67; SD = 13.1) decreased significantly, while walking without a dog only reduced state anxiety (M = 47.24; SD = 11.0 vs. M = 40.94; SD = 8.6). Multivariate analysis of variance showed that after the walk, state anxiety was significantly lower in the treatment group than in the control group, F(1.35) = 6.706, p <0.05, η2 = 0.161. Among those who walked with a dog, the intervention also led to significant decreases in fear and resting heart rate, F(1.44) = 11.694, p < 0.01, η2 = 0.210 and F(1.45) = 8.503; p < 0.01; η2 = 0.159, respectively. For anxious patients, a short walk with a dog is more beneficial than a walk without one. We found significant positive effects of a dog’s company on vegetative arousal and mental comfort. This is another study confirming the possible therapeutic effect of the animal on anxiety symptoms. Further research is required, especially in the large groups of patients, as recommendations on the use of Animal Assisted Interventions (AAI) are needed.


Mindfulness ◽  
2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaime Navarrete ◽  
Miguel Ángel García-Salvador ◽  
Ausiàs Cebolla ◽  
Rosa Baños

Abstract Objectives The purpose of this exploratory non-randomized controlled study was to determine the acceptance and effectiveness of an 8-week mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) co-designed by a police officer. Methods A pretest-posttest control group design was followed. Participants (MBI group = 20; control group = 18) answered baseline and post-training self-reported measures. In addition, the weekly emotional state of the MBI group was collected. Paired-samples t-test and analysis of covariance were performed for pre-post within-group and between-group differences, respectively, as well as linear mixed effects analysis of repeated measures for week-by-week data. Results High acceptance and attendance rates, as well as significant pre-post within-group differences in the MBI group in mindfulness (η2 = 0.43), self-compassion (η2 = 0.43), depression (η2 = 0.54), anxiety (η2 = 0.46), stress (η2 = 0.51), difficulties in emotion regulation, sleep quality (η2 = 0.57), and burnout (η2 = 0.31–0.47), were identified. Moreover, police officers who underwent the MBI experienced a week by week decrease of anger, disgust, anxiety, sadness, and desire. Finally, after adjusting for pre-test scores, significant between-group differences were found in the way of attending to internal and external experiences (observing mindfulness facet; ηp2 = 0.21), depression symptoms (ηp2 = 0.23), general distress (ηp2 = 0.24), and the degree of physical and psychological exhaustion (personal burnout; ηp2 = 0.20). Conclusions The preliminary effectiveness of this MBI on psychopathology and quality of life outcomes in Spanish police officers was discussed. Previous evidence regarding the promising use of MBIs in this population was supported.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Gilberto Arias-Hernández ◽  
Cruz Vargas-De-León ◽  
Claudia C Calzada-Mendoza ◽  
María Esther Ocharan-Hernández

Background. Postpartum preeclampsia is a serious disease related to high blood pressure that occurs commonly within the first six days after delivery. Objective. To evaluate if diltiazem improves blood pressure parameters in early puerperium patients with severe preeclampsia. Methodology. A randomized, single-blind longitudinal clinical trial of 42 puerperal patients with severe preeclampsia was carried out. Patients were randomized into two groups: the experimental group (n = 21) received diltiazem (60 mg) and the control group (n = 21) received nifedipine (10 mg). Both drugs were orally administered every 8 hours. Systolic, diastolic, and mean blood pressures as well as the heart rate were recorded and analyzed (two-way repeated measures ANOVA) at baseline and after 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36, 42, and 48 hours. Primary outcome measures were all the aforementioned blood pressure parameters. Secondary outcome measures included the number of hypertension and hypotension episodes along with the length of stay in the intensive care unit. Results. No statistical differences were found between groups (diltiazem vs. nifedipine) regarding basal blood pressure parameters. Interarm differences in blood pressure (systolic, diastolic, and mean) and heart rate were statistically significant between treatment groups from 6 to 48 hours. Patients in the diltiazem group had lower blood pressure levels than patients in the nifedipine group. Significantly, patients who received diltiazem had fewer hypertension and hypotension episodes and stayed fewer days in the intensive care unit than those treated with nifedipine. Conclusions. Diltiazem controlled arterial hypertension in a more effective and uniform manner in patients under study than nifedipine. Patients treated with diltiazem had fewer collateral effects and spent less time in the hospital. This trial is registered with NCT04222855.


Author(s):  
Luis Leitão ◽  
Ana Pereira ◽  
Mauro Mazini ◽  
Gabriela Venturini ◽  
Yuri Campos ◽  
...  

Physical exercise results in very important benefits including preventing disease and promoting the quality of life of older individuals. Common interruptions and training cessation are associated with the loss of total health profile, and specifically cardiorespiratory fitness. Would detraining (DT) promote different effects in the cardiorespiratory and health profiles of trained and sedentary older women? Forty-seven older women were divided into an experimental group (EG) and a control group (CG) (EG: n = 28, 70.3 ± 2.3 years; CG: n = 19, 70.1 ± 5.6 years). Oxygen uptake (VO2) and health profile assessments were conducted after the exercise program and after three months of detraining. The EG followed a nine-month multicomponent exercise program before a three-month detraining period. The CG maintained their normal activities. Repeated measures ANOVA showed significant increases in total heath and VO2 (p < 0.01) profile over a nine-month exercise period in the EG and no significant increases in the CG. DT led to greater negative effects on total cholesterol (4.35%, p < 0.01), triglycerides (3.89%, p < 0.01), glucose (4.96%, p < 0.01), resting heart rate (5.15%, p < 0.01), systolic blood pressure (4.13%, p < 0.01), diastolic blood pressure (3.38%, p < 0.01), the six-minute walk test (7.57%, p < 0.01), Pulmonary Ventilation (VE) (10.16%, p < 0.01), the Respiratory Exchange Ratio (RER) (9.78, p < 0.05), and VO2/heart rate (HR) (16.08%, p < 0.01) in the EG. DT may induce greater declines in total health profile and in VO2, mediated, in part, by the effectiveness of multicomponent training particularly developed for older women.


2006 ◽  
Vol 291 (1) ◽  
pp. H459-H466 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arto J. Hautala ◽  
Tuomo Rankinen ◽  
Antti M. Kiviniemi ◽  
Timo H. Mäkikallio ◽  
Heikki V. Huikuri ◽  
...  

The determinants of heart rate (HR) recovery after exercise are not well known, although attenuated HR recovery is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality. Because acetylcholine receptor subtype M2 (CHRM2) plays a key role in the cardiac chronotropic response, we tested the hypothesis that, in healthy individuals, the CHRM2 gene polymorphisms might be associated with HR recovery 1 min after the termination of a maximal exercise test, both before and after endurance training. The study population consisted of sedentary men and women ( n = 95, 42 ± 5 yr) assigned to a training ( n = 80) or control group ( n = 15). The study subjects underwent a 2-wk laboratory-controlled endurance training program, which included five 40-min sessions/wk at 70–80% of maximal HR. HR recovery differed between the intron 5 rs324640 genotypes at baseline (C/C, −33 ± 10; C/T, −33 ± 7; and T/T, −40 ± 11 beats/min, P = 0.008). Endurance training further strengthened the association: the less common C/C homozygotes showed 6 and 12 beats/min lower HR recovery than the C/T heterozygotes or the T/T homozygotes ( P = 0.001), respectively. A similar association was found between A/T transversion at the 3′-untranslated region of the CHRM2 gene and HR recovery at baseline ( P = 0.025) and after endurance training ( P = 0.005). These data suggest that DNA sequence variation at the CHRM2 locus is a potential modifier of HR recovery in the sedentary state and after short-term endurance training in healthy individuals.


2017 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 62-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lia D. Falco ◽  
Jessica J. Summers

This study evaluated whether a career group intervention that incorporates the four sources of self-efficacy and addresses perceived career barriers is effective at improving the career decision self-efficacy and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) self-efficacy for adolescent girls. Of the 88 girls in our study, 42 students were Latina and 46 were White, 40 were freshman, and 48 were sophomores attending the same high school. From this sample, 44 of these girls participated in a 9-week treatment group. Using repeated measures analysis of covariance with ethnicity and grade as covariates, results indicated that, compared with the control group ( n = 44), participants in the treatment group improved significantly on variables of career decision self-efficacy and STEM self-efficacy and increased those gains at 3-month follow-up. The discussion focuses on implications for career counseling, limitations of the study, and future research.


1994 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 203-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keitha V. Lucas

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of harmonic context on the sightsinging skill of middle school choral music students. A nonrandomized control-group pretest-posttest design with one between-group (treatment method) and two within-group (trial and test context) factors was used. The treatment method used three harmonic contexts: (a) melody only, (b) piano harmony, and (c) vocal harmony. The trial condition had two levels (pretest and posttest), and the test context condition had four levels: (a) melody-only, (b) piano-harmony, (c) vocal harmony/upper with the melody in the higher of two voices, and (d) vocal harmony/lower with the melody in the lower of two voices. A repeated measures ANOVA revealed significant differences for the test context and trial main effects and for the trial by treatment group interaction; subjects obtained the highest sightsinging scores when tested in a melody-only context. Because of the significant interaction between trial and treatment group, one-way ANOVAs were used to test for simple main effects in both trial conditions (pretest and posttest). Although no significant differences were detected in the pretest ANOVA, the posttest ANOVA revealed significant differences among treatment groups. Post hoc analysis indicated that subjects in the melody-only treatment group showed more improvement in sightsinging skill than did subjects in the vocal-harmony treatment group. No difference was revealed, however, between the melody-only treatment group and the piano-harmony treatment group.


10.2196/14680 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. e14680
Author(s):  
Ernesto Zárate-Bravo ◽  
Juan-Pablo García-Vázquez ◽  
Engracia Torres-Cervantes ◽  
Gisela Ponce ◽  
Ángel G Andrade ◽  
...  

Background Problems with prospective memory, which refers to the ability to remember future intentions, cause deficits in basic and instrumental activities of daily living, such as taking medications. Older adults show minimal deficits when they rely on mostly preserved and relatively automatic associative retrieval processes. On the basis of this, we propose to provide external cues to support the automatic retrieval of an intended action, that is, to take medicines. To reach this end, we developed the Medication Ambient Display (MAD), a system that unobtrusively presents relevant information (unless it requires the users’ attention) and uses different abstract modalities to provide external cues that enable older adults to easily take their medications on time and be aware of their medication adherence. Objective This study aimed to assess the adoption and effect of external cues provided through ambient displays on medication adherence in older adults. Methods A total of 16 older adults, who took at least three medications and had mild cognitive impairment, participated in the study. We conducted a 12-week feasibility study in which we used a mixed methods approach to collect qualitative and quantitative evidence. The study included baseline, intervention, and postintervention phases. Half of the participants were randomly allocated to the treatment group (n=8), and the other half was assigned to the control group (n=8). During the study phases, research assistants measured medication adherence weekly through the pill counting technique. Results The treatment group improved their adherence behavior from 80.9% at baseline to 95.97% using the MAD in the intervention phase. This decreased to 76.71% in the postintervention phase when the MAD was no longer being used. Using a one-way repeated measures analysis of variance and a post hoc analysis using the Tukey honestly significant difference test, we identified a significant statistical difference between the preintervention and intervention phases (P=.02) and between the intervention and postintervention phases (P=.002). In addition, the medication adherence rate of the treatment group (95.97%) was greater than that of the control group (88.18%) during the intervention phase. Our qualitative results showed that the most useful cues were the auditory reminders, followed by the stylized representations of medication adherence. We also found that the MAD’s external cues not only improved older adults’ medication adherence but also mediated family caregivers’ involvement. Conclusions The findings of this study demonstrate that using ambient modalities for implementing external cues is useful for drawing the attention of older adults to remind them to take medications and to provide immediate awareness on adherence behavior. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04289246; https://tinyurl.com/ufjcz97


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