This study aimed to compare the effects of an acute Pilates program under hypoxic vs. normoxic conditions on the metabolic, cardiac, and vascular functions of the participants. Ten healthy female Pilates experts completed a 50-min tubing Pilates program under normoxic conditions (N trial) and under 3000 m (inspired oxygen fraction = 14.5%) hypobaric hypoxia conditions (H trial) after a 30-min exposure in the respective environments on different days. Blood pressure, branchial ankle pulse wave velocity, and flow-mediated dilation (FMD) in the branchial artery were measured before and after the exercise. Metabolic parameters and cardiac function were assessed every minute during the exercise. Both trials showed a significant increase in FMD; however, the increase in FMD was significantly higher after the H trial than that after the N trial. Furthermore, FMD before exercise was significantly higher in the H trial than in the N trial. In terms of metabolic parameters, minute ventilation, carbon dioxide excretion, respiratory exchange ratio, and carbohydrate oxidation were significantly higher but fat oxidation was lower during the H trial than during the N trial. In terms of cardiac function, heart rate was significantly increased during the H trial than during the N trial. Our results suggested that, compared to that under normoxic conditions, Pilates exercise under hypoxic conditions led to greater metabolic and cardiac responses and also elicited an additive effect on vascular endothelial function.

While the anti-obesity effects of exercise and capsiate are well-observed individually, the effect of exercise with capsiate intake has not been systematically explored yet. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate whether the anti-obesity effects of exercise training can be further enhanced by capsiate intake. [Methods] 8-week-old male mice were divided into 3 groups (n = 8 per group): sedentary group (SED; nontrained), exercise-trained group (EXE) and exercisetrained group with 10 mg/kg of capsiate intake (EXE+CAP). All mice were offered high-fat diet and water ad libitum. The mild-intensity treadmill training was conducted 5 times a week for 8 weeks. After 8 weeks, metabolism during exercise and abdominal fat weight were measured. [Results] Body weight and the rate of total abdominal fat were significantly less in EXE+CAP than in SED but not between EXE and SED. The average of respiratory exchange rate during exercise was significantly much lower in EXE+SED (p = 0.003) compared to the difference between EXE and SED (p = 0.025). Likewise, the fat oxidation during exercise was significantly much higher in EXE+SED (p = 0.016) compared to the difference between EXE and SED (p = 0.045). Then, the carbohydrate oxidation during exercise was significantly much lower in EXE+SED (p = 0.003) compared to the difference between EXE and SED (p = 0.028). [Conclusion] In conclusion, the anti-obesity functions of exercise training can be further enhanced by capsiate intake by increasing fat oxidation during exercise. Therefore, we suggest that capsiate could be a candidate supplement which can additively ameliorate obesity when combined with exercise.

While exercise training (ET) is an efficient strategy to manage obesity, it is recommended with a dietary plan to maximize the antiobesity functions owing to a compensational increase in energy intake. Capsiate is a notable bioactive compound for managing obesity owing to its capacity to increase energy expenditure. We aimed to examine whether the antiobesity effects of ET can be further enhanced by capsiate intake (CI) and determine its effects on resting energy expenditure and metabolic molecules. Mice were randomly divided into four groups (n = 8 per group) and fed high-fat diet. Mild-intensity treadmill ET was conducted five times/week; capsiate (10 mg/kg) was orally administered daily. After 8 weeks, resting metabolic rate and metabolic molecules were analyzed. ET with CI additively reduced the abdominal fat rate by 18% and solely upregulated beta-3-adrenoceptors in adipose tissue (p = 0.013) but did not affect the metabolic molecules in skeletal muscles. Surprisingly, CI without ET significantly increased the abdominal fat rate (p = 0.001) and reduced energy expenditure by 9%. Therefore, capsiate could be a candidate compound for maximizing the antiobesity effects of ET by upregulating beta-3-adrenoceptors in adipose tissue, but CI without ET may not be beneficial in managing obesity.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of various hypoxia vs. normoxia on metabolic and skeletal muscle oxygenation function during grated exercise and exercise performance. Methods Eleven healthy male participants (21.5 ± 2.3 years) performed graded exercise test (GXT) using cycle ergometer at sea‐level (760 mmHg) and under various hypobaric hypoxia (1,500 m simulated altitude; 634 mmHg, 3,000 m simulated altitude; 528 mmHg and 4,500 m simulated altitude; 433 mmHg) in a random order. GXT starts at 300 kg·m·min−1 (50 watts) and increases by 150 kg·m·min−1 (25 watts) every 2 minutes until exhaustion. The pedal frequency was set at 60 rpm. Metabolic parameters (peripheral capillary oxygen saturation; SPO2, heart rate; HR, minute ventilation; VE, oxygen consumption; VO2, carbon dioxide excretion; VCO2, respiratory exchange ratio; RER, oxygen pulse, and blood lactate) and skeletal muscle oxygen profiles (oxygenated hemoglobin and myoglobin; OxyHb, deoxygenated hemoglobin and myoglobin; DeoxyHb, and tissue oxygen saturation; StO2) were measured every 1 minute during the GXT, and it also evaluated at exercise load of 50, 75, 100, 125, and 150 watts on ergometers under various hypoxia vs. normoxia. Exercise performance was evaluated by maximal oxygen consumption, peak power, and exercise time obtained through GXT. Results In metabolic parameters, HR, VE, VCO2, RER, and blood lactate showed a significant increase in hypoxia compared with normoxia. Also, the increase was more pronounced as the hypoxia became more severe. However, SPO2, VO2, and O2pulse presented a significant decrease in hypoxia compared with normoxia. Also, the decrease was more pronounced as the hypoxia became more severe. In skeletal muscle oxygen profiles, OxyHb showed a significant decrease in 3,000 m and 4,500 m simulated altitude compared with normoxia. In exercise performance, VO2max and peak power were significantly decreased in 3,000 m and 4,500 m simulated altitude compared with normoxia, and exercise time decreased significantly with increasing simulated altitude. Conclusion These showed a decrease in exercise performance due to a decrease in metabolic parameters and skeletal muscle oxygenation in hypoxia vs. normoxia, and more pronounced as the hypoxia became more severe. Support or Funding Information

Purpose This study aimed to investigate the effects of acute cold stress (10℃, 0℃) compared with ordinary temperature (20℃) on exercise performance and physiological response at rest and during exercise. Methods A total of 10 healthy men (21.55 ± 2.16) were selected. In each environmental condition (20℃, 10℃, 0℃), the three testing order was randomly selected at crossover, and there was a week interval between the graded exercise test (GXT). On the testing day, they remained resting for 30 min in each environmental condition. Dependent variables (body temperature, energy metabolism parameters, skeletal muscle oxygenation profiles, and exercise performance parameters) were measured at rest and during GXT. Results In body temperature, at each environmental condition, there was a significant decrease (p<.05) at 10℃ and 0℃ compared with 20℃ after exercise, and in the difference depending on the environment at rest. After exercise, the body temperature significantly decreased (p<.05) in proportion to the decrease in temperature. There was no difference in heart rate and blood lactate level in energy metabolism, and the respiratory exchange ratio was significantly higher (p<.05) at 0℃ than 20℃. Minute ventilation (VE), oxygen uptake (VO2), and carbon dioxide excretion (VCO2) were significantly lower (p<.05) at 0℃ than 20℃ and 10℃ at various exercise load. All skeletal muscle oxygenation profiles did not show significant changes at rest and during exercise. In exercise performance, maximal oxygen uptake was significantly lower (p<.05) at 0℃ than 20℃, and exercise time to exhaustion was also significantly lower (p<.05) at 0℃ than 20℃ and 10℃. Conclusion Acute cold stress induces deterioration of exercise performance via a decreased body temperature and an increase in VE, VO2, and VCO2 during the same exercise load. In addition it was confirmed that this phenomenon was more prominent at 0°C than at 10°C when compared to 20°C.