Obesity and its associated disorders are a growing epidemic across the world. Many genetic, physiological, and behavioral factors play a role in the etiology of obesity. Diet and exercise are known to play a valuable role in the treatment and prevention of obesity and associated disorders such as hypertension, heart disease, and diabetes. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to examine the prevalence, etiology, consequences, and treatment of obesity.

Prior to endurance competition, many endurance athletes participate in a carbohydrate loading regimen in order to help delay the onset of fatigue. The "classic" regimen generally includes an intense glycogen depleting training period of approximately two days followed by a glycogen loading period for 3-4 days, ingesting approximately 60-70% of total energy intake as carbohydrates, while the newer method does not consist of an intense glycogen depletion protocol. However, recent evidence has indicated that glycogen loading does not occur in the same manner for males and females, thus affecting performance. The scope of this literature review will include a brief description of the role of estradiol in relation to metabolism and gender differences seen in carbohydrate metabolism and loading.

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a functional coffee beverage containing additional caffeine, green tea extracts, niacin and garcinia cambogia to regular coffee to determine the effects on resting energy expenditure (REE) and hemodynamic variables.

No abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of ingesting JavaFit™ Energy Extreme (JEE) on aerobic and anaerobic performance measures in recreationally-active male and female coffee drinkers. Five male (27.6 ± 4.2 yrs, 93.2 ± 11.7 kg, 181.6 ± 6.9 cm) and five female (29 ± 4.6 yrs, 61.5 ± 9.2 kg, 167.6 ± 6.9 cm) regular coffee drinkers (i.e., 223.9 ± 62.7 mg·d -1 of caffeine) participated in this study. In a cross-over, randomized design, participants performed a baseline (BASELINE) graded treadmill test (GXT) for peak VO 2 assessment and a Wingate test for peak power. Approximately 3-4 d following BASELINE testing, participants returned to the lab for the first trial and ingested 354 ml of either JEE or decaffeinated coffee (DECAF), after which they performed a GXT and Wingate test. Criterion measures during the GXT included an assessment of peakVO 2 at maximal exercise, as well as VO 2 at 3 minutes and 10 minutes post-exercise. Additionally, time-to-exhaustion (TTE), maximal RPE, mean heart rate (HR), mean systolic pressure (SBP), and mean diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were measured during each condition. Criterion measures for the Wingate included mean HR, SBP, DBP, peak power, and time to peak power (TTP). Participants then returned to the lab approximately one week later to perform the second trial under the same conditions as the first, except consuming the remaining coffee. Data were analyzed using a one way ANOVA (p < 0.05). Our results indicate that JEE significantly increased VO 2 at 3 minutes post-exercise when compared to BASELINE (p = 0.04) and DECAF (p = 0.02) values, which may be beneficial in enhancing post-exercise fat metabolism.