The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a probiotic supplement during 4 mo of winter training in men and women engaged in endurance-based physical activities on incidence of upper respiratory-tract infections (URTIs) and immune markers. Eighty-four highly active individuals were randomized to probiotic (n = 42) or placebo (n = 42) groups and, under double-blind procedures, received probiotic (PRO: Lactobacillus casei Shirota [LcS]) or placebo (PLA) daily for 16 wk. Resting blood and saliva samples were collected at baseline and after 8 and 16 wk. Weekly training and illness logs were kept. Fifty-eight subjects completed the study (n = 32 PRO, n = 26 PLA). The proportion of subjects on PLA who experienced 1 or more weeks with URTI symptoms was 36% higher than those on PRO (PLA 0.90, PRO 0.66; p = .021). The number of URTI episodes was significantly higher (p < .01) in the PLA group (2.1 ± 1.2) than in the PRO group (1.2 ± 1.0). Severity and duration of symptoms were not significantly different between treatments. Saliva IgA concentration was higher on PRO than PLA, significant treatment effect F(1, 54) = 5.1, p = .03; this difference was not evident at baseline but was significant after 8 and 16 wk of supplementation. Regular ingestion of LcS appears to be beneficial in reducing the frequency of URTI in an athletic cohort, which may be related to better maintenance of saliva IgA levels during a winter period of training and competition.

To test whether communicating cardiovascular diseases (CVD) risk using a novel risk assessment tool (Heart Age) will be able to motivate a population to adopt healthier lifestyles and improve CVD risk profile over the use of a traditional percentage-based tool. A single-blind randomized intervention study was carried out in a Caucasian population. A total of 3153 subjects were randomly allocated to one of three study groups: control (conventional medical advice was given to the subjects), Framingham REGICOR (10-year percentage risk score, calibrated to Spanish population was given to the subjects), or Heart Age group (Heart Age tool was administered to the subjects). Anthropometrical and metabolic parameters were measured and lifestyle habits were recorded at recruitment and 12-months post intervention. Both the Framingham REGICOR and the Heart Age intervention groups demonstrated significant decreases in their risk scores at post intervention compared to the control group, with the improvement being of a greater magnitude in the Heart Age group. No differences per gender were observed in the Heart Age group. Informing patients about their CVD risk expressed as the new Heart Age tool results in a reduction in their CVD risk higher than the one observed when the Framingham REGICOR risk score was used.

Objective: To ascertain the prevalence of and association between main lifestyle factors (diet, physical activity, alcohol consumption and smoking) in students from the Balearic Islands University.Design: A cross-sectional, descriptive study. A questionnaire including questions on lifestyle, dietary habits and physical activity habits was administered to the students. Four different diet quality scores were calculated (Diet Diversity Score, Mediterranean Diet Score, Dietary Guidelines Score and Global Dietary Guidelines Score).Setting: A sample of students from the Balearic Islands University.Subjects: Nine hundred and eighty-seven students (45·5 % males; mean age 21·5 (sd 3·3) years).Results: The dietary pattern of the student population was characterized by a low consumption of cereals and tubers, fruits, vegetables, olive oil, legumes and nuts, and a high consumption of processed meat, sweets, snacks, soft drinks and pastries. Linear, positive and statistically significant correlations were found between the number of meals consumed daily and all of the diet quality scores determined. Determinants of diet quality, both in the univariate and multivariate analyses, were physical activity practice, sex, age and number of meals consumed daily.Conclusions: Risk factors such as smoking, diet and physical inactivity had a tendency of clustering among Spanish university students. Overall diet quality was low, due to important departures from dietary recommendations and loss of the traditional Mediterranean dietary pattern. Nutritional education campaigns that include promotion of physical activity practice are needed to improve the overall health status of this population.

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) could induce oxidative damage at long distance from its generation site and it is also an important signalling molecule that induces some genes related to oxidative stress. Our objective was to study the plasma and blood cells capability to detoxify H2O2 after intense exercise and its correlation with oxidative damage. Blood samples were taken from nine professional cycling, participating in a mountain stage, under basal conditions and 3 h after the competition. Catalase and glutathione peroxidase activities decreased (40 and 50% respectively) in neutrophils after the cycling stage, while glutathione peroxidase increased (87%) in lymphocytes. Catalase protein levels and catalase specific activity maintained basal values after the stage in plasma. Catalase protein levels decreased (48%) in neutrophils and its specific activity increased up to plasma values after exercise. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) increased (39%) in neutrophils after the cycling stage. Exercise-induced hemolysis and lymphopenia inversely correlated with cellular markers of oxidative stress. Plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) directly correlated with neutrophil MPO activity and erythrocytes MDA. Intense exercise induces oxidative damage in blood cells as erythrocytes and lymphocytes, but not in neutrophils.