Concurrent training associated with moderate walnut consumption improved isokinetic strength, subjective sleep quality, cognitive performance and postural balance in elderly active men: a randomized controlled trial.

AIMS: To investigate the effects of concurrent training (resistance and endurance) associated with moderate walnut consumption on isokinetic strength, subjective sleep quality, cognitive performance and postural balance in physically active elderly men. METHODS: Twenty healthy elderly men were divided into two matched groups, in a randomized controlled experiment. They have participated in three training sessions per week: concurrent (strength and endurance) training + ad libitum diet with walnuts (15 g/day for 6 weeks, CTW: n = 10) and concurrent training + ad libitum diet (CT: n = 10). Isokinetic strength, Spiegel questionnaire, Montreal cognitive assessment and postural balance parameters were assessed 48 h pre- and post-intervention. RESULTS: Absolute peak torque of knee extensors and knee flexors significantly increased compared to pre-training in CTW (15.2% ± 6.7; 13.2% ± 2.3, p < 0.05, respectively) and CT (10.6% ± 6.8; 7.4% ± 2.9, p < 0.05, respectively). Subjective sleep quality increased compared to pre-training for CTW and CT (24% ± 14.4; 10.5% ± 9.4, p < 0.05, respectively) with a significantly greater increase in CTW (p < 0.05). Cognitive performance measured by Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) increased only in CTW compared to baseline (7.7% ± 2.5, p < 0.05). Postural balance parameters with dual task decreased only in CTW compared to baseline. CONCLUSIONS: The present study clearly revealed that concurrent training alone or associated with daily walnut (15 g) consumption for 6 weeks significantly increased knee isokinetic strength, support leg standing parameters and sleep quality. Meanwhile, cognitive performance evaluated by MoCA test and postural balance with dual task were improved for CTW group only.

Melatonin supplementation alleviates cellular damage and physical performance decline induced by an intensive training period in professional soccer players.

Melatonin has been proved to have positive effects on cellular damage and metabolic regulation. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of melatonin supplementation during an intensive training period on physical performance decline, oxidative stress and cellular damage state. The investigation was conducted on 20 soccer players who participated in an exhaustive six-day training schedule associated with daily 5 mg oral melatonin or placebo ingestion. Resting blood samples and physical performance were measured before and after the training period. The mixed 2-way ANOVA (group x training camp) showed that compared to placebo, melatonin intake prevented an increase in advanced oxidation protein products (p>0.05) and increased the antioxidant enzyme activity (i.e., superoxide dismutase; p<0.001). In addition, melatonin prevented an increase of biomarkers of renal function (e.g., creatinine; p>0.05) and biomarkers of muscle (e.g., creatine kinase; p>0.05) and liver (e.g., gamma-glutamyltransferase; p>0.05) damage. Furthermore, melatonin alleviated the deterioration in physical performance (countermovement jump, five-jump test and 20-m sprint; p>0.05). In conclusion, the obtained data showed increased oxidative stress and renal, muscle and liver damage in professional soccer players during an exhaustive training schedule. Melatonin intake during the training period exerts beneficial effects on physical performance and protects tissues against the deleterious effects of reactive oxygen species and cellular damage.

Moderate walnut consumption improved lipid profile, steroid hormones and inflammation in trained elderly men: a pilot study with a randomized controlled trial.

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of walnut consumption on lipid profile, steroid hormones and inflammation in trained elderly men performing concurrent (resistance and endurance) training. Twenty healthy elderly males were divided into two matched groups, in a randomized controlled trial, that trained three sessions per week: concurrent training + dietary walnut consumption (15 g/day for six weeks, CTW: n = 10); concurrent training + control diet (CT: n = 10). Fasting blood samples were taken 48 hours before and after intervention for biochemical assessments. levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) increased only in CTW compared to baseline (19.8%, p < 0.01). Total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and triglyceride (TG) levels significantly decreased only for CTW (i.e., 13%, 18%, and 18.5% at p < 0.01 for all). Testosterone (T) increased after the training compared to pre-training for CTW and CT (10.3%, p < 0.01, 4.27% p < 0.05, respectively), but the increase was significantly higher in CTW (p < 0.05). Serum cortisol (C) was lower for CTW compared to CT (p < 0.01). C-reactive protein (CRP) decreased in CTW in comparison with CT. The present study revealed that 6-week moderate walnut supplementation (15 g/day) improved lipid profile, steroid hormones and systematic inflammation in aged men performing concurrent training. These findings could be attributable to the potential effect of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) contained in walnut (linoleic acid, n-6; linolenic acid, n-3).

Effects of Melatonin Ingestion Before Nocturnal Sleep on Postural Balance and Subjective Sleep Quality in Older Adults.

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of acute nocturnal melatonin (MEL) ingestion on sleep quality, cognitive performance, and postural balance in older adults. A total of 12 older men (58 ± 5.74 years) volunteered to participate in this study. The experimental protocol consisted in two testing sessions after nocturnal MEL (10 mg) or placebo ingestion the night before the tests. During each session, sleep quality tests, cognitive tests, and postural balance protocol were conducted. Static and dynamic postural control was assessed using a force platform. Most of the sleep parameters have been improved following nocturnal MEL ingestion without any effect on cognitive performance. Likewise, measurements related to the center of pressure (CoP) have been significantly decreased with MEL compared with placebo. In conclusion, postural control has been improved the morning following nocturnal MEL ingestion in older adults. This trend could be explained by the potential effect of MEL on sleep quality and cerebellum.