Objective
Betaine supplementation may enhance body composition outcomes when supplemented chronically during an exercise program. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of betaine supplementation on development-related hormones, body composition, and anthropometrics in professional youth soccer players during a competitive season.
Methods
Twenty-nine players (age, 15.45 ± 0.25 years) were matched based upon position and then randomly assigned to a betaine group (2 g/day; n = 14, BG) or placebo group (PG, n = 15). All subjects participated in team practices, conditioning, and games. If a subject did not participate in a game, a conditioning protocol was used to ensure workload was standardized throughout the 14-week season. Growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), testosterone, cortisol, height, weight, and body composition were assessed at pre-season (P1), mid-season (P2) and post-season (P3). Anthropometric variables were also measured following a one-year follow-up (F).
Results
Significant (p < 0.05) group x time interactions were found for testosterone and testosterone to cortisol ratio (T/C). Both variables were greater in BG at P2 and P3 compared to P1, however, the testosterone was less in the PG at P3 compared to P2. There was no significant group by time interactions for GH, IGF-1, lean body mass, or body fat. There was a significant (p < 0.05) group x time interaction in height and weight at F, with the greater increases in BG compared to PG.
Conclusion
Betaine supplementation increased testosterone levels and T/C ratio in youth professional soccer players during a competitive season. Betaine supplementation had no negative effects on growth (height and weight) and may attenuate reductions in testosterone due to intense training during puberty.
Background:Since correlations have been found between body composition and physical activity in different parts of the world, inactivity and poor physical condition likely contributes main factors in childhood obesity. This study was implemented to determine the relationship between cardiovascular fitness and body-composition in a group of Iranian middle school students.Methods:In this descriptive study, subjects comprised of 12,946 students (10,531 girls and 2,415 boys aged 11–13 years) in the city of Isfahan. Height, weight, body-fat percent, body mass index, and cardiovascular fitness of the aforesaid students were measured by valid tests.Results:This study showed that fat percentage and aerobic fitness (VO2 max) of girls were 24.73%, and 29.5 (ml/kg/min) and boys19.32% and 36.4 (ml/kg/min) respectively. Results also revealed that there was a negative significant correlation between fat percent and aerobic fitness of boys (r = −0.81), and girls (r = −0.77) respectively.Conclusions:To conclude, this study signifies that fat percentage augmentation leads to a decrease in aerobic fitness of children. Thus, fat percentage can be associated with different chronic diseases such as cardiovascular ones.
Objective: The current study aimed to compare the effects of two modes of moderate-and high-intensity interval training on serum Salusin-α and Salusin-β and lipid profile in women with overweight/obesity. Subjects and Methods: A number of forty females were assigned to each of (1) Control (BMI= 30.2 ± 2.8 kg/m 2 , n=14), (2) Moderate-intensity (BMI= 31.2 ±3.3 kg/m 2 , n=13) and (3) High-intensity interval training (BMI=30.9±3.4 kg/m 2 , n=13) groups. The subjects of experimental groups participated in the selected interval trainings for eight weeks. The first blood sampling was performed within 48 hours prior to the first training session and the second samples were obtained 48 hours after the last training session. Results: The findings revealed that there were significant increases in Salusin-α (36% vs. 3%; p = 0.001) and high-density lipoprotein levels (7% vs. 5%; P = 0.039), while significant reductions in the levels of Triglyceride (−8% vs. −9%; p= 0.012) and total cholesterol (−1% vs. −8%; P =0.01) levels of moderate-and high-intensity interval training groups, respectively. Also, there were insignificant changes in Salusin-β (−7% vs. −5%; P = 0.108), low-density lipoproteins (−3% vs. −11%; P =0.046) and very-low-density lipoprotein (−10% vs. −8%; P = 0.056) compared to control group. There were only significant differences between Salusin-α and high-density lipoprotein levels of training groups (P<0.05). Conclusion: It is suggested that, although improvements in lipid profile was nearly similar for two training modes, moderate intensity interval training was more effective to prevent and control atherosclerosis.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.