Heart Health

Testosterone May Protect Against Hardening Of The Arteries
Testosterone supplementation has received a fair share of “bad press.” Mostly due to health problems (sterility, coronary artery disease, liver damage, and brain tumors), caused in young men and women who should not be taking testosterone supplementation, but do so at super-physiological doses, to enhance athletic performance.

The Sooner You Cut Your Risk For Cardiovascular Disease The Longer You Will Live
Writing in the medical journal Circulation, researchers say that if you are at low risk for cardiovascular disease at age 50, it is unlikely that you will suffer from heart disease in your lifetime and that compared to others in the same age group with higher risk, men could expect to live 11 more years and women 9 more years.

Does Being Optimistic Really Lower Risk From Cardiovascular Disease in Elderly Men?
Researchers writing in the medical journal the Archives of Internal Medicine say that having an optimistic outlook, DOES lower mortality risk associated with cardiovascular disease.

Menopause and Heart Disease
researchers writing in the medical journal Climacteric say that “an ideal hormone replacement therapy that can overcome hypertension, prevent body weight gain and control serum triglycerides offers an important advance in cardiovascular risk management during the menopause.”

Testosterone, Diabetes, and Cardiovascular Disease
New research says Testosterone may have a protective role in the development of metabolic syndrome and subsequent diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease in aging men.

Endurance Training and Age-Related Decline in Immune Function and Endocrine Function

Researchers writing in the medical journal Immunity and Ageing say that long-term endurance training has the potential to decelerate the age-related decline in immune function but not the deterioration in endocrine function.

Arai MH, Duarte AJ, Natale VM. The effects of long-term endurance training on the immune and endocrine systems of elderly men: the role of cytokines and anabolic hormones. Immun Ageing. 2006 Aug 25;3:9

From the article abstract:”highly conditioned elderly men seem to have relatively better preserved immune system than the sedentary elderly men. Long-term endurance training has the potential to decelerate the age-related decline in immune function but not the deterioration in endocrine function.”

Exercise Induced and Calorie Reduction Weight Loss

Researchers writing in the Journal of Applied Physiology say that caloric restriction (dieting) can lower extremity muscle size and strength. While weight loss due to exercise does not.

Weiss EP, Racette SB, Villareal DT, Fontana L, Steger-May K, Schechtman KB, Klein S, Ehsani AA, Holloszy JO; Lower extremity muscle size and strength and aerobic capacity decrease with caloric restriction but not with exercise-induced weight loss. J Appl Physiol. 2007 Feb;102(2):634-40. Epub 2006 Nov 9

Exercise Frequency in Older Women

Researchers writing in the Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics say “older women who participate in an exercise program three times a week gain greater functional fitness benefits than those who exercise less frequently.”

Nakamura Y, Tanaka K, Yabushita N, Sakai T, Shigematsu R. Effects of exercise frequency on functional fitness in older adult women. Arch Gerontol Geriatr. 2007 Mar-Apr;44(2):163-73.

From the study abstract: This study evaluated the effects of exercise frequency on functional fitness in older women participating in a 12-week exercise program.

Participants (67.8+/-4.6 years) were divided into three different exercise groups (I, II, and III; n=34) and a control group (Group C; n=11). Group I participated in a 90-min exercise program once a week, for 12 weeks, while Group II attended it twice a week, and Group III attended three times a week.

The exercise program consisted of a 10-min warm-up, 20min of walking, 30min of recreational activities, 20min of resistance training, and a 10-min cool-down.

The following items were measured before and after the program: muscular strength, muscular endurance, dynamic balance, coordination, and cardiorespiratory fitness (6-min walking distance).

Comparisons of baseline and post-intervention measures showed significantly greater improvements in body weight, coordination, and cardiorespiratory fitness for Group III compared to the other groups (p<0.05).

In addition, the greatest improvements in body fat, muscular endurance, and dynamic balance were also observed in Group III (p<0.05). However, no significant differences were found in muscular strength.

Older women who participate in an exercise program three times a week gain greater functional fitness benefits than those who exercise less frequently. In order to improve functional fitness in older women, an exercise frequency of at least three times each week should be recommended.

Strength Training and Nutritional Counseling Benefits In Women

Sallinen, J. Fogelholm, M. Pakarinen, A.Juvonen, T. Volek, J.S. Kraemer, W.J. Alen, M. Hakkinen, K. Effects of strength training and nutritional counseling on metabolic health indicators in aging women.J. Appl. Physiol. (2005) 30(6): 690-707.

Writing in the Canadian Journal of Applied Physiology, researchers noted that long-term strength training and nutritional counseling had positive effects of metabolic health indicators.

From the study abstract:
“Effects of strength training (ST) and nutritional counseling (NC) on metabolic health indicators were examined in 50 aging women.

Methods: Subjects performed ST for 21 weeks. NC was given to obtain sufficient energy and protein intake, and recommended intake of fat and fiber.

Results: NC increased intake of protein and polyunsaturated fat by 4.5% and 10.7% and decreased intake of saturated fat by 18.3%. Serum concentrations of total cholesterol (TC), LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C), total and HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) ratio and triacylglycerols (TAG) decreased, and serum HDL-C increased in all subjects after ST.

Respectively, systolic and diastolic blood pressure and serum insulin concentration decreased in all subjects.

Respectively, changes in serum TC levels were related to protein intake, and changes in serum HDL-C to intake of fat, and inversely to carbohydrate and protein in all subjects.

Conclusions: The long-term ST (strength training) had favorable effects on serum lipids, lipoproteins, insulin concentration, and blood pressure. However, NC further contributed to positive changes in serum lipids and lipoproteins.”

View complete abstract

Exercise, Diabetes, Diabetes Risk

Researchers writing in the Medical Journal Diabetes Care say patients may need more convincing that exercise assists in diabetes management and diabetes risk management.

From the study abstract:
“With increased focus on the obesity and diabetes epidemics, and the clear benefit of exercise in disease prevention and management, this study determined the lifetime prevalence of health professional advice to exercise among individuals with or at risk for diabetes.

A total of 73% of adults with diabetes were told by a health professional to exercise more versus 31% of adults without diabetes. The proportion receiving advice increased as the number of diabetes risk factors increased until reaching similar rates as people with diabetes.

Health professionals advised most patients with or at highest risk for diabetes to exercise, suggesting recognition of its importance for disease management. As risk factors declined, fewer patients were advised to exercise, suggesting missed opportunities for disease prevention. However, exercise has not increased proportional to exercise advice. The challenge remains converting patient awareness into behavior change.”

Morrato EH, Hill JO, Wyatt HR, Ghushchyan V, Sullivan PW. Are Health Care Professionals Advising Patients With Diabetes or At Risk for Developing Diabetes to Exercise More? Diabetes Care 29:543-548, 2006

Click for article abstract

You May Need To Exercise More To Avoid Fat Accumulation Associated With Aging

Researchers publishing in the journal Clinical Nutrition say: “Cross-sectional data have shown that sarcopenia (age associated muscle loss) and fat accumulation are associated with aging and can be limited by structured physical training. However, it is often difficult to maintain a long-term compliance to training programs. It is not clear whether leisure-time physical activity is effective in preventing sarcopenia and fat accumulation.

CONCLUSIONS: Mild but significant decline in muscle mass and its TBK (Total Body Potassium) content, and body fat accumulation were observed over a 3-year period in healthy elderly subject: leisure-time physical activity does not seem to prevent them. However, a higher level of physical activity is associated with higher muscle mass and TBK content, and less total and truncal fat.” Read the abstract

Raguso CA, Kyle U, Kossovsky MP, Roynette C, Paoloni-Giacobino A, Hans D, Genton L, Pichard C. A 3-year longitudinal study on body composition changes in the elderly: Role of physical exercise. Clin Nutr. 2005 Dec 2

Researchers examine the role of exercise on anxiety, depression and quality of life in seniors

Depression, anxiety and quality of life scores in seniors after an endurance exercise program.

Antunes HK, Stella SG, Santos RF, Bueno OF, Mello MT.Rev Bras Psiquiatr. 2005 Dec;27(4):266-271.

Writing in the medical journal Revista Brasileira de Psiquiatria, researchers sought to examine 46 sedentary seniors aged 60-75. The seniors were divided into two groups. One group began an aerobic exercise regiment, the other group (the control group) did not.

The researchers stated from the study abstract: “Mood disorders are a frequent problem in old age, and their symptoms constitute an important public health issue. These alterations affect the quality of life mainly by restricting social life. The participation in a regular exercise program is an effective way of reducing or preventing the functional decline associated with aging.”

“Comparing the groups after the study period, we found a significant decrease in depressive and anxiety scores and an improvement in the quality of life in the experimental group, but no significant changes in the control group.”

Read Entire Article

Exercise

Researchers examine the role of exercise on anxiety, depression and quality of life in seniors

Writing in the medical journal Revista Brasileira de Psiquiatria, researchers sought to examine 46 sedentary seniors aged 60-75. The seniors were divided into two groups. One group began an aerobic exercise regiment, the other group (the control group) did not.

You May Need To Exercise More To Avoid Fat Accumulation Associated With Aging
Researchers publishing in the journal Clinical Nutrition say: “Cross-sectional data have shown that sarcopenia (age associated muscle loss) and fat accumulation are associated with aging and can be limited by structured physical training. However, it is often difficult to maintain a long-term compliance to training programs. It is not clear whether leisure-time physical activity is effective in preventing sarcopenia and fat accumulation.

Resistance Training Important for Aging Muscles and Tendons
Researchers writing the medical journal Experimental Physiology say that resistance training is not only good for preventing age-related loss of muscle but for tendons as well.

Exercise, Diabetes, Diabetes Risk
Researchers writing in the Medical Journal Diabetes Care say patients may need more convincing that exercise assists in diabetes management and diabetes risk management.

The Importance of Strength Training Exercises in Aging
Researchers writing in the medical journal Aging Clinical and Experimental Research say that “although aerobic exercise is important in maintaining overall health, the resistance type of muscle training may be more applicable to the basic rules of bone adaptation and site-specific effects of exercise, have more favorable effects in maintaining or improving bone mass and architecture, and be safe and feasible for older people.”

Strength Training and Nutritional Counseling Benefits In Women
Writing in the Canadian Journal of Applied Physiology, researchers noted that long-term strength training and nutritional counseling had positive effects of metabolic health indicators.

Exercise and Menopausal Symptoms
Researchers writing in the British Journal of General Practice say that their study “suggest(s) a positive association between somatic and psychological dimensions of health-related quality of life and participation in regular exercise. Women with BMI scores in the normal range reported lower vasomotor symptom scores and better health-related quality of life scores than heavier women.”

Exercise Frequency in Older Women
Researchers writing in the Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics say “older women who participate in an exercise program three times a week gain greater functional fitness benefits than those who exercise less frequently.”

Exercise Induced and Calorie Reduction Weight Loss
Researchers writing in the Journal of Applied Physiology say that caloric restriction (dieting) can lower extremity muscle size and strength. While weight loss due to exercise does not.

Endurance Training and Age-Related Decline in Immune Function and Endocrine Function.
Researchers writing in the medical journal Immunity and Ageing say that long-term endurance training has the potential to decelerate the age-related decline in immune function but not the deterioration in endocrine function.

Diabetes and ED

Researchers writing in the British journal of urology say that about 1 in 3 men newly diagnosed with diabetes had ED.

The prevalence and predictors of erectile dysfunction in men with newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus.Al-Hunayan A, Al-Mutar M, Kehinde EO, Thalib L, Al-Ghorory M. BJU Int. 2006 Oct 9;

From the article abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence of and risk factors for erectile dysfunction (ED) in men newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM).

PATIENTS AND METHODS All consecutive samples of men newly diagnosed with type 2 DM attending the diabetes centre in the capital of Kuwait were included in the study. Face-to-face interviews with the men were conducted using the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF)-5 questionnaire. A threshold IIEF-5 score of <21 was used to identify men with ED. Pertinent clinical and laboratory characteristics were collected. RESULTS Of 323 men with newly diagnosed type 2 DM, 31% had ED; comparing potent men and men with ED, there were statistically significant differences for smoking, duration of smoking, hypertension, education level, body mass index and serum glycosylated haemoglobin level. Among these, age was the most important risk factor identified by multivariate logistic regression.

CONCLUSION About a third of men with newly diagnosed type 2 DM had ED; this was associated with many variables, but most notably with age at presentation.

« Previous Page — Next Page »