The Impact of Strenuous Group Physical Activity on Mood States, Personal Views, Body Composition, and Markers of Myocardial Damage in Overweight/Obese Adults: The “Step-by-Step Italy’s Coast to Coast” Trek

Abstract

It is clinically relevant to understand whether it is safe to recommend to trained overweight/obese people long-distance treks and whether these experiences could have a negative psychological impact or become even dangerous exposing the trekkers to the risk of clinically silent myocardial damage. To answer these questions we have performed a quantitative/qualitative study comparing the changes in mood profiles, personal views, body composition, and plasma troponin levels of 40 overweight/obese subjects with those of 36 healthy normal weight subjects after the participation in a trek of 388 km from the Adriatic to the Tyrrhenian seas trek: the “Step by step…Italy's coast to coast”. The results of this study demonstrate that long-distance treks are a safe activity for trained overweight/obese people which should be recommended because they improve mood, health status, and the relationship of participants with themselves and with the regular practice of exercise with effects similar to those obtained by healthy normal weight subjects.

Yerba Maté (Ilex paraguariensis) Metabolic, Satiety, and Mood State Effects at Rest and during Prolonged Exercise

“…With respect to the gender-specific effects on metabolism, females’ FAO during exercise is known to be higher compared to men [ 46 ], possibly due to higher total body fat percentage, fitness level, and exercise modality [ 47 ]. The BF% data indicated all females who took part were at the lower BF% percentile, indicating that they were physically active, with higher of 38 mL/kg/min, which is higher than 32 mL/kg/min measured for a mixed gender cohort in a previous similarly designed study [ 18 ]. The study’s participants completed their tests within the same week and reported to be within the same menstrual cycle phase.…”

“…The reported psychomotor effects include improved total mood disturbance score [ 15 ], increased focus, alertness and energy, and decreased fatigue in habitual caffeine consumers [ 16 ]. Modifying behavioral factors of mood state and appetite control is considered essential for effective weight-loss lifestyle interventions [ 17 , 18 , 19 ]. Consequently, indications of the positive YM effects combined with exercise on those outcomes should be further investigated, especially given the known positive effects of exercise on mood state and mental health [ 20 ].…”

Cardiac troponins: from myocardial infarction to chronic disease

“… 73 Clinical studies have reported increased cTn without any obvious ischaemic heart disease, 74 and also, after extreme exercise 75 (although the intensity and modality of exercise undertaken may also be a determinant in cTn release). 76 , 77 As reported by several authors, 4 , 70 , 75 the suggestion has been made that troponin can be released ‘without irreversible necrosis’ or with ‘reversible cell damage’, leading to debate as to whether myocyte necrosis (or even myocyte death) is necessary for troponin release. 75 Despite a number of interesting postulates, currently accepted experimental evidence supports that the release, and detection of cTn, is due to irreversible cell death.…”

Opioid Release after High-Intensity Interval Training in Healthy Human Subjects

“…Previous research has confirmed that enjoyment is an important incentive for engaging in leisure-time physical activity (Aaltonen et al, 2012). Many people report pleasurable sensations and improved mood after physical exercise (Mazzeschi et al, 2014) and some even describe euphoric feelings ('runner's high') in response to prolonged physical exercise (Dietrich and McDaniel, 2004;Morgan, 1985).…”