Journal of Physical Activity and Hormones
Volume:4 Issue: 2, Spring 2020

Galectins are a family of carbohydrate-binding proteins with an affinity for beta-galactosides. Galectin-3 is a member of the galectin family and numerous previous studies have indicated that galectin-3 may be used as a diagnostic or prognostic biomarker for certain types of heart disease, kidney disease and cancer. The aim of present study was to investigate the effect of a bout of heavy resistance training on galectin-3 in healthy young men.

Elevenhealthy young men (aged: 26.6 ± 1.5 years; ± SD) volunteered to participate in this study. One reparation maximum (1-RM) was measured and the subjects were performed a heavy resistance exercise trial consisted of eight exercises (chest press, triceps extension, latissimus pull down, shoulder press, arm curls, leg extension, leg curls, and curl-up) of 8 repetitions with 3 sets at 80% of 1RM. Blood samples were taken at baseline and immediately after the heavy resistance exercise trial.

The results showed that galectin-3 level was increased significantly in response to heavy resistance exercise trial (365.9±110.3 mg/dl vs. 390.6±117.7 mg/dl; P=0.012). No significant relationships were observed between galectin-3 levels after the intervention with cholesterol (P=0.16), triglycerides (P=0.29), LDL (P=0.34) or HDL (P=0.92).

The results suggest a bout of heavy resistance training increases galectin-3 healthy young men.

There are many indications that hepatic enzymes levels in the blood and exercise have some kind of association although it is not well known; therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the effect of an exhaustion session exercise on hepatic enzymes levels in nonathletic males and females.

Sixteen healthy nonathletic males (aged 30±5.4 years, weight 74.8±13 kg; mean ± SD) and females (aged 25.8±2.2 years, weight 57±9 kg; mean ± SD) participated as subjects in this study. Blood samples were collected at before and 2 hours after an exhaustion exercise.

The results showed that the baseline level of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) was higher in males than females (t = 2.1; P = 0.04). On the other hand, the results showed that alkaline phosphatase (ALP) increased (t = 2.4; P = 0.02) in the male group compare to the female group; while for ALT and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels no significant different were observed between groups and no significant changes were observed after the exercise.

Although, there was the significant differences in ALT level between males and females, but hepatic enzymes were not affected by an exhaustion session exercise.

Clinical studies support a potential role of galectin-3 in the pathogenesis of remodelling in heart failure in humans; but these relationships in athletes are not well known. The present study was conducted to examine the relationships between galectin-3 levels with cardiac structure and function in well-trained endurance athletes.

Fifteen well-trained endurance male athletes (aged: 21.4 ± 3.0 years; mean ± SD) volunteered to participate in this study. Galectin-3 concentrations were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits and cardiac morphology and function were assessed by echocardiography. Pearson correlation test was used to analyze the relationship between the variables.

The results demonstrated that galectin-3 concentrations positively related to aorta diameter (r = 0.61, P = 0.01) and negatively related to left ventricle end-diastolic volume (LVEDV) (r = ‒ 0.6, P = 0.01). No significant relationships were observed between galectin-3 concentrations with left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) (r= ‒ 0.08, P = 0.7), pulmonary artery diameter (r = 0.25, P = 0.3), posterior wall thickness of left ventricle at end diastole (PWTLV) (r = 0.37, P = 0.1), interventricular septal (r = 0.15, P = 0.5), and left ventricle end-systolic volume (LVESV) (r = 0.48, P = 0.07).

In conclusion, galectin-3 concentrations are associated with echocardiographic markers of ventricular function in endurance athletes.

Previous studies indicated that trauma indexes were higher after contact sports than non-contact sports. Kickboxing is a modern contact fighting sport created on the basis of many traditional combat sports and martial arts. The effects of antioxidant supplements on immune responses to this sport are unclear; thus the aim of present study was to investigate the effects of TestPUMP supplementation on immune responses to a competition bout of kickboxing.

Twenty elite kickboxing athletes participated in a placebo (n=10)/experimental (n=10), double-blind study conducted over 5 days period. The experimental group received 5 g TestPUMP supplements per day before the training and placebo group received the same dosage of a glucose polymer. Thereafter, athletes in each weight categories competed together according with the rules of World Association of Kickboxing Organizations (WAKO). Blood samples were taken at baseline (before the supplementation period), before and immediately after the competition.

The results showed that using TestPUMP supplements prevents the increase of reduces serum creatine kinase (CK) in the experimental group in compare to the placebo group (F=5.05, P=0.01); however, it does not have any significant effect on serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH; F=1.1, P=0.3) and hs-CRP (F=2.6, P=0.09) levels in the male fighters.

In conclusion, further researches are needed to clarify the effects of TestPUMP supplements in kickboxing athletes.

Cardiac natriuretic peptides (NPs) play an important role in the regulation of energy expenditure in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue. A systematic review on the effects of exercise on NPs in patients with heart failure reported that aerobic and resistance training reduced NPs; however, the effects of exercise on NPs and the underlying mechanism of exercise-induced NP secretion in sedentary subjects remain unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of a single bout of circuit resistance training on aminoterminal propeptide (NT-proBNP) levels in sedentary men.

In this study, Fifteen healthy male (aged: 24.5 ± 1.2 years; ± SD) volunteered to participate in this study. The subjects were performed circuit resistance training consisted of 8 stations in the following order: chest press, barbell shoulder press, seated cable rows, barbell curl, overhead triceps extension, curl up, squat and hamstring with machine. This training was circularly performed in 8 stations and included 4 sets with 6 maximal repetitions at 70% of 1-RM in each station. Each circuit and set was separated by 5 min and 30 s rest respectively. NT-proBNP plasma concentrations were measured before and immediately after the resistance training. Paired-sample t- test was used to analyze the data.

The results demonstrated that NT-proBNP levels were increased significantly after the circuit resistance training (27.76% and P=0.01).

In conclusion, a single bout of circuit resistance training in sedentary men led to a fast rise of plasma NT-proBNP concentrations.