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In the pursuit of enhanced athletic prowess in different disciplines, athletes constantly look for strategies to increase their physical performance, encompassing technical skills and dietary components, which inevitably, in most cases, include the incorporation of sports supplements. In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of athletes using ergogenic aids. In this context, scientific evidence must play a prominent role in either endorsing or warning against the use of these products, ensuring the preservation of health while promoting the theoretically established positive benefits. In this vein, beetroot juice (BJ) stands out as a key supplement as an ergogenic aid to improve sports performance, given its demonstrated influence on both aerobic and anaerobic exercise. However, despite widespread global demand, there remains a lack of understanding regarding the potential synergistic effects of combining BJ with other supplements. Consequently, our study aims to determine whether the combination of BJ with another nutritional supplement can enhance its beneficial effects and, therefore, optimize physical performance in humans. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in two major databases—Web of Science and PubMed—from 1 January 2018 to 29 January 2023, using specific keywords. After the exclusion criteria, six articles were selected for analysis. Therefore, our study shows that the effectiveness of combining BJ with another supplement mainly depends on the duration of the chronic intervention, which is where the greatest benefits have been observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Muscle strength can define the general muscular fitness (MF) measurable through hand-grip strength (HG), which is a factor that relates to the health of people of different ages. In this study we evaluated the muscle strength together with a bioimpedance electric analysis in 223 healthy Colombian adult subjects. The bioelectrical impedance vector analysis (BIVA) was conducted to determine the resistance (R), reactance (Xc) and phase angle (PhA). We classified the subjects into three groups (for tertiles), obtaining lower values of R and Xc in subjects with lower HG, plus a high correlation between PhA and HG. An increase in the level of PhA is associated with a high level of MF in a sample of healthy Latin American adult men. The BIVA's parameters and PhA are a potentially effective preventive measure to be integrated into routine screening in the clinical setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an increasing cause of chronic liver illness associated with obesity and metabolic disorders, such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, or type 2 diabetes mellitus. A more severe type of NAFLD, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), is considered an ongoing global health threat and dramatically increases the risks of cirrhosis, liver failure, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Several reports have demonstrated that liver steatosis is associated with the elevation of certain clinical and biochemical markers but with low predictive potential. In addition, current imaging methods are inaccurate and inadequate for quantification of liver steatosis and do not distinguish clearly between the microvesicular and the macrovesicular types. On the other hand, an unhealthy status usually presents an altered gut microbiota, associated with the loss of its functions. Indeed, NAFLD pathophysiology has been linked to lower microbial diversity and a weakened intestinal barrier, exposing the host to bacterial components and stimulating pathways of immune defense and inflammation via toll-like receptor signaling. Moreover, this activation of inflammation in hepatocytes induces progression from simple steatosis to NASH. In the present review, we aim to: (a) summarize studies on both human and animals addressed to determine the impact of alterations in gut microbiota in NASH; (b) evaluate the potential role of such alterations as biomarkers for prognosis and diagnosis of this disorder; and (c) discuss the involvement of microbiota in the current treatment for NAFLD/NASH (i.e., bariatric surgery, physical exercise and lifestyle, diet, probiotics and prebiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) is a novel biomarker related to cardiovascular disease (CVD). Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and physical activity (PA) have an inverse relationship with the AIP, while sedentary time (ST) and fatness present a positive association. This study aimed to determine the combined and independent association of CRF, PA, and ST with the AIP, and additionally to establish the waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) mediation role. Data from the Chilean national health survey were used (4671 adults). A PACS (Physical Activity Cardiorespiratory Sedentary) score was created ranging from 0 to 3, indicating the number of positive recommendations met (PA, ST, and CRF). AIP was calculated (Log10 triglycerides/high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol). The combined analysis showed that compared to those with a PACS score of 0, those with a score of 1 or 2 did not present significantly reduced AIP values (adjusted by the WHtR); however, those with a score of 3 did (OR (odds ratio) = 0.50; 95% CI, 0.32 to 0.77; p < 0.001). Independent analysis showed that CRF seems to be the only variable that supports the combined result (β = −0.212; p < 0.001). Finally, the mediation analysis indicated that the WHtR mediated the association between CRF and the AIP in 34.2% of cases. Overall, only CRF had a significant and inverse association with the AIP. Nonetheless, around one-third of this beneficial relationship is affected by an elevated WHtR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liver disease encompasses pathologies as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, alcohol liver disease, hepatocellular carcinoma, viral hepatitis, and autoimmune hepatitis. Nowadays, underlying mechanisms associating gut permeability and liver disease development are not well understood, although evidence points to the involvement of intestinal microbiota and their metabolites. Animal studies have shown alterations in Toll-like receptor signaling related to the leaky gut syndrome by the action of bacterial lipopolysaccharide. In humans, modifications of the intestinal microbiota in intestinal permeability have also been related to liver disease. Some of these changes were observed in bacterial species belonging Roseburia , Streptococcus , and Rothia . Currently, numerous strategies to treat liver disease are being assessed. This review summarizes and discusses studies addressed to determine mechanisms associated with the microbiota able to alter the intestinal barrier complementing the progress and advancement of liver disease, as well as the main strategies under development to manage these pathologies. We highlight those approaches that have shown improvement in intestinal microbiota and barrier function, namely lifestyle changes (diet and physical activity) and probiotics intervention. Nevertheless, knowledge about how such modifications are beneficial is still limited and specific mechanisms involved are not clear. Thus, further in-vitro, animal, and human studies are needed.

Background and Objectives: Active commuting to and from university (ACU) could be a strategy to increase physical activity levels (PA) and promote health in young university students. We aimed to a) examine the patterns of commuting to university in Chilean students; b) the association between the mode of commuting to and from university and socio-demographic factors and PA-levels. Materials and Methods: A total of 496 university students (21.6 ± 2.4 years old) from two universities from Valparaíso (central coast of Chile) participated in this study. Personal data, home address, socio-economic status, PA, and the usual mode of commuting to and from the university were self-reported by a questionnaire. The commute distances were objectively measured using Google-Maps-software. Associations were examined using binary logistic regressions. Results: The main mode of commuting was by bus (to university: 55.2% vs. from university: 59.3%; p < 0.001). The least used mode was cycling (1.4% to and from university). Students living >5-km from university were less active commuters than those living in closer distances: (2-5 km, odds ratio (OR): 4.424, 95% and 95% confidence intervals (CI): 2.443-8.011, p < 0.001; 2 km, OR: 143.052, 95% CI: 55.154-371.030, p < 0.001). Students with low PA-levels were less active commuters than those with medium (OR: 1.446; 95% CI: 0.864-2.421; p = 0.160) or higher levels (OR: 1.880; 95% CI: 1.880-1.094; p = 0.022). Students who lived between 2 and 5 km, presented a significant association to be active commuters when they showed medium PA-levels (OR: 5.244, 95% CI: 1.358-20.246; p = 0.016). Conclusions: Chilean university students from Valparaíso are mainly passive commuters using public transport as the main mode of commuting to and from university; longer distances from home to the university are associated with low PA levels. ACU in distances between 2-5 km (mainly walking) could contribute to having medium PA-levels in Chilean university students. Thus, promoting the ACU walking to and from the university in such distances could be an effective strategy to increase the overall PA levels in Chilean university students.

Objective : To compare the differences in the modes and distance of the displacements in high school and university stage in the same sample. Methods : A total of 1288 volunteer university students (614 males and 674 females) participated, with an average age of 22.7 ± 5.8 years, belonging to four private and public universities in Chile where a validated self-report questionnaire was applied to the study, which included the modes, travel time, and distance at school and university. Results : The active commuting decreases from school to university when leaving home (males: 39.6% to 34.0%; p = 0.033 and females: 32.9% to 18.5%, p < 0.001), as well as when returning (males: 44.1% to 33.7%; p < 0.001 and females: 38.6% to 17.6%, p < 0.001). Conversely, non-active modes of transport increase, especially in females (go: 67.1% to 81.4%, return: 61.5% to 82.6%), affected by the increase in the use of public transportation in university. It was also defined that at both school and at university, the active commuting decreases the greater the distance travelled. Conclusion : The active modes of commuting decreased between high school and university and the non-active mode of commuting was the most frequent form of mobility to high school and university, observing that the active trips decreased when the distance from the home to high school or university increased. Public and private intervention policies and strategies are required to maintain or increase the modes of active commuting in the university stage for an active life in adulthood.