The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) applications in healthcare provides new possibilities for personalized health management. AI-based fitness applications are becoming more common, facilitating the opportunity for individualised exercise prescription. However, the use of AI carries the risk...

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between adolescents’ biological maturation level and their muscle power, as well as their overall muscle strength. Overall, 691 adolescents (414 boys and 277 girls) aged 12.01–11.96 (measured for body mass, body height as well as vertical jump, muscle power, and muscle strength). There was a statistically significant difference in terms of average right and left grip strength, vertical jump, and power in the late maturation group. For the body height and vertical jump averages in male adolescents, it was observed that the body height and vertical jump averages in the late group were significantly lower than in the early and on-time maturation groups. For female adolescents’ chronological age, sitting height, body mass, BMI, left and right grip strength, and power averages were found to be significantly higher compared with the on-time group (p < 0.05). It was established that biological maturation has a substantial link with vertical jump height and power, as well as grip strength on the right and left hands.

Background: Although several studies have shown that the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown has had negative impacts on mental health and eating behaviors among the general population and athletes, few studies have examined the long-term effects on elite and sub-elite athletes. The present study aimed to investigate the long-term impact of COVID-19 lockdown on mental health and eating behaviors in elite versus sub-elite athletes two years into the pandemic. A cross-sectional comparative study was conducted between March and April 2022, involving athletes from 14 countries, using a convenient non-probabilistic and snowball sampling method. A total of 1420 athletes (24.5 ± 7.9 years old, 569 elites, 35% women, and 851 sub-elites, 45% women) completed an online survey-based questionnaire. The questionnaire included a sociodemographic survey, information about the COVID-19 pandemic, the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale—21 Items (DASS-21) for mental health assessment, and the Rapid Eating Assessment for Participants (REAP-S) for assessing eating behavior. Results: The results showed that compared to sub-elite athletes, elite athletes had lower scores on the DASS-21 (p = .001) and its subscales of depression (p = .003), anxiety (p = .007), and stress (p < .001), as well as a lower REAP-S score indicating lower diet quality (p = .013). Conclusion: In conclusion, two years into the pandemic, elite athletes were likelier to have better mental health profiles than sub-elite athletes but surprisingly had lower diet quality.

The present study aimed to examine the vitamin D receptor (VDR), rs2228570 polymorphism, and its effect on elite athletes’ performance. A total of 60 elite athletes (31 sprint/power and 29 endurance) and 20 control/ physically inactive, aged 18–35, voluntarily participated in the study. The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) score scale was used to determine the performance levels of the athletes’ personal best (PB). Whole exome sequencing (WES) was performed by the genomic DNA isolated from the peripheral blood of the participants. Sports type, sex, and competitive performance were chosen as the parameters to compare within and between the groups by linear regression models. The results showed no statistically significant difference between the CC, TC, and TT genotypes within and between the groups (p > 0.05). Additionally, our results underlined that there were no statistically significant differences for the association of rs2228570 polymorphism with PBs within the groups of the (p > 0.05) athletes. The genetic profile in the selected gene was similar in elite endurance, sprint athletes, and in controls, suggesting that rs2228570 polymorphism does not determine competitive performance in the analyzed athlete cohort.

Background: This study aimed to compare training load parameters, delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), and fatigue status between season periods (1^st and 2^nd halves) in U14 soccer players and to analyze the relationships between training load parameters based on season periods (1^st and 2^nd halves) with peak height velocity (PHV), DOMS, and fatigue status in under-14 (U14) young elite soccer players. Additionally, it was intended to analyze if fatigue, DOMS and PHV could explain training load parameters across the season. Methods: Twenty U14 players that competed in the national league participated in this study. The players were monitored during the whole season (26 weeks), and evaluations were carried out at the end of the in-season. Anthropometric and body composition parameters and the maturity offset of each player were utilized to compute each player's age at PHV. Players reported their levels of DOMS and fatigue status using Hooper index questionnaires. The internal load was monitored using the rating of perceived exertion (RPE). Acute weekly internal load (AW), chronic weekly internal load (CW), acute: chronic workload ratio (ACWR), training monotony (TM), and training strain (TS) were also obtained. Results: The main results showed that TM was higher in the 2^nd half, while CW, AW and DOMS were higher in the 1^st half of the season. Moreover, the main correlations showed a positive correlation between PHV and TS (2^nd half of the season) and between fatigue and TM (1^st half of the season). Conclusion: In conclusion, variations in well-being status and PHV cannot explain the variations in internal training loads in elite U14 soccer players. In addition, internal training load indices during the first half of the competitive season can promote a fundamental base for progression loads during the second period of the competitive season.

This study aimed to examine the acute effects of moderate-intensity aerobic and high-intensity interval exercise protocols on Asprosin and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) levels in inactive normal weight and obese individuals. A total of 20 male individuals aged 18–65 years, ten normal weight (NW) (Body Mass Index (BMI): 18.5–24.99 kg/m²) and 10 obese (Ob) (BMI: 24.99–35.00 kg/m²) participated in this study, voluntarily. Moderate aerobic exercise (AE) (main circuit 30 min, between 40 and 59% of Heart Rate Reserve: HRR) and High-Intensity Interval exercise (HIIE) running protocols (main circuit 20 min, between 75 and 90% of the HRR for 1 min*10 times, and 1-min active rest at 30% of the HRR) was applied to the volunteer participants in the morning hours (08.00–10.00 a.m.), following the night fasting (at least 8–10 h) for at least 3 days between each other. Blood samples were collected from the participants before and immediately after each exercise protocol, and serum asprosin and BDNF hormone levels were determined by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay” method. Basal serum asprosin was found to be significantly higher in the Ob group compared to the NW group (p < .001), while the basal serum BDNF hormone was found to be lower (p < 0.05). It was observed that the serum asprosin level of both groups decreased significantly after both AE and HIIE protocols (p < 0.05). In addition, there was a significantly higher decrease in serum asprosin level in the Ob group compared to the NW group after HIIE protocol. For the Ob group, serum BDNF level increased considerably after HIIE protocol compared to AE protocol (p < 0.05). Serum asprosin was found to be higher in the Ob group, while the serum BDNF was found to be lower. In addition, the acute exercises of different intensity significantly affected hormones that regulate appetite metabolism. In particular, it was observed that the HIIE protocol had a greater effect on the regulation of appetite (hunger-satiety) in the Ob group. This result can be taken into account when planning training programs for these individuals.