The purpose of this study was to determine aerobic performance in men with an increased body mass due to (a) high body fat (>21.5%) but with a average (59.0–64.3 kg) lean body mass (HBF group) and (b) high lean body mass (>66.3 kg), but with average body fat (14.0–18.5%) (HLBM group). The men in the HBF and HLBM had similar absolute body mass and body mass index (BMI). The aerobic performance was also determined in control group. Methods: Study participants comprised 39 men aged 21.3±1.9 years who did not participate in competitive sports but were recreationally physically active. Participants were divided into three groups. Each group comprised 13 persons. The study involved anthropometric measurements, assessing aerobic performance (VO₂max) using an incremental test on a mechanical treadmill. VO₂max was expressed in absolute values, relative to body mass (VO₂max⋅BM⁻¹), relative to lean body mass (VO₂max⋅LBM⁻¹), and relative to BM raised by the exponents of 0.75 and 0.67. Body composition was measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis. No statistically significant differences in relative values of VO₂max were found between the HBF and HLBM groups, in VO₂max⋅BM⁻¹ (50.24±4.56 vs. 53.11±5.45 mL⋅kg⁻¹), VO₂max⋅LBM⁻¹ (65.33±5.63 vs. 63.86±7.13 mL⋅kgLBM⁻¹), and VO₂max⋅BM^−0.75 (150.29±13.5 vs. 160.39±16.15 mL⋅kg^−0.75). Values of VO₂max⋅BM⁻¹ were significantly lower in the HBF and HLBM groups than in the control group (58.23±5.84 mL⋅kg⁻¹). High body mass, regardless of the cause decreases VO₂max⋅BM⁻¹.

Objective: The new adipokine, which is asprosin, affects glucose release from the liver to the blood, and thus, influences exercise metabolism. This is the first study assessing whether single anaerobic exercise affects asprosin secretion in women and men. Methods: 10 men and 10 women (aged 21.64 ± 1.22 and 22.64 ± 1.49, respectively) performed a single 20-s bicycle sprint. Blood samples were collected before exercise and in the 3′, 15′, 30′, and 60′ of recovery, and 24 h after competition. Results: Only in women did asprosin (P = 0.001) (15′, 30′, 60′, and 24 h after exercise) and irisin (P < 0.001) (15′, 30′, and 60′) concentrations increase. Leptin, however, decreased (P = 0.001) at 3′, 15′, and 30′ in women. There was an increase in interleukin-6 (P < 0.001) at 3′, 15′, 30′, and 60′ of recovery in men, at 15′, 30′, 60′, and 24 h of recovery in women, along with a simultaneous decrease in interleukin-1β (P < 0.001) at 15′, 30′, and 60′ of recovery in men, and at 15′ and 30′ of recovery in women (r = -0.35, P < 0.001). There was a positive correlation between asprosin and adiponectin and a negative one between asprosin and leptin. The increase in irisin concentration at 30′ of recovery was positively correlated with the increase in asprosin concentration and percentage fat content, while being negatively correlated with total and lean body mass (LBM). Conclusion: The single anaerobic effort induced an increase in asprosin and irisin secretion while reducing leptin secretion in women. Adipocytokine concentration changes are inter-related. Regardless of sex, anaerobic efforts induce anti-inflammatory effects.

Recent evidence suggests that not only body fat (BF) but high lean body mass (HLBM) adversely affects aerobic performance and may reduce aerobic endurance performance as well. However, the influence of body composition on anaerobic performance remains controversial. This study aimed to examine the effects of increased body mass (BM) and body composition on cycling anaerobic power. Peak power (PP) and mean power (MP) measurements were conducted in 2 groups of men with similar total BM but different body compositions resulting from (a) high level of BF [HBF group] or (b) high level of lean body mass [HLBM group] and in a control group. Peak power and MP were calculated in absolute values, relative to BM and lean body mass (LBM), and using allometric scaling. Absolute PP and MP were significantly higher in the HLBM group compared with the control and HBF groups. However, PP and MP relative to BM and using allometric scaling were similar in the HLBM and control groups, yet significantly higher than in the HBF group. There were no significant differences between groups in PP and MP when presented relative to LBM. Therefore, it seems that it is not BM but rather body composition that affects PP. Increased BM, resulting from increased LBM, does not adversely affect cycling anaerobic power, but a BM increase resulting from an increase in BF may adversely affect PP. Therefore, coaches and athletes should avoid excess BF to maximize cycling anaerobic power.

Oxidative stress may be caused by an increased rate of ATP resynthesis during physical exercise. The aim of this study was to compare changes in the prooxidant-antioxidant state of blood plasma between men and women after maximal-intensity exercise, and to assess the relationship between these changes and the value of the maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) as well as between these changes and the value of post-exercise disruptions in acid-base balance. Study participants comprised 10 women (20.7±0.5 years) and 10 men (22.3±0.5 years) who were physically active but did not engage in competitive sports training. VO2max was determined via treadmill incremental test (VO2max relative to body mass: 44.48±1.21 ml/kg/min and 59.16±1.55 ml/kg/min for women and men, respectively). The level of acid-base balance indicators (ABB), lactate concentration (La-), the level of total oxidative status (TOS), the level of total antioxidative capacity (TAC), and uric acid (UA) concentration were measured before and after the test. An oxidative stress indicator (OSI) was also calculated. Men showed a significant post-exercise increase in the level of TOS and OSI, while women showed a significant post-exercise increase in the level of TAC. Post-exercise changes in UA concentration were insignificant. Post-exercise changes in TOC in men depended on the absolute values of VO2max, on VO2max/LBM, and on post-exercise changes in La‑ concentration.

The aim of our study was to compare the indicators of starting speed, anaerobic endurance and power in women as well as men, and to investigate whether the values of these indicators differ in women during the follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle. The studied group included 16 men and 16 women. The subjects performed the 20-second maximal cycling sprint test. The men performed the test twice at 14-day intervals. The women undertook the test 4 times: twice during the middle of follicular phase and twice in the middle of luteal phase in separate menstrual cycles. Hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle do not influence anaerobic performance, starting speed or anaerobic endurance in women. Anaerobic performance in men is higher than in women with similar aerobic performance expressed as VO₂max/LBM (lean body mass). A lower power decrease with time was noted for women than men, with a similar time of maintaining power in both groups. This is evidence of women’s better anaerobic endurance compared to men. At the same time, the men had significantly better starting speed rates than women.

We sought to investigate whether regular balance training of moderate intensity (BT) has an effect on changes in selected cytokines, neurotrophic factors, CD200 and fractalkine in healthy older adults and participants with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Sixty-two subjects were divided into groups depending on experimental intervention: (1) group of people with PD participating in BT (PDBT), (2) group of healthy older people participating in BT (HBT), (3,4) control groups including healthy individuals (HNT) and people with PD (PDNT). Blood samples were collected twice: before and after 12 weeks of balance exercise (PDBT, HBT), or 12 weeks apart (PDNT, HNT). The study revealed significant increase of interleukin10 (PDBT, p = 0.026; HBT, p = 0.011), β-nerve growth factor (HBT, p = 0.002; PDBT, p = 0.016), transforming growth factor-β1 (PDBT, p = 0.018; HBT, p < 0.004), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (PDBT, p = 0.011; HBT, p < 0.001) and fractalkine (PDBT, p = 0.045; HBT, p < 0.003) concentration only in training groups. In PDBT, we have found a significant decrease of tumor necrosis factor alpha. No training effect on concentration of interleukin6, insulin-like growth factor 1 and CD200 was observed in both training and control groups. Regular training can modulate level of inflammatory markers and induce neuroprotective mechanism to reduce the inflammatory response.