Search

Resting energy expenditure (REE) is determined mainly by fat-free mass (FFM). FFM depends also on daily physical activity. REE normally decreases with increased age due to decreases in FFM and physical activity. Measuring REE is essential for estimating total energy expenditure. As such, there are a number of different equations in use to predict REE. In recent years, an increasing number of older adults continue to participate in competitive sports creating the surge of master athletes. It is currently unclear if these equations developed primarily for the general population are also valid for highly active, older master athletes. Therefore, we tested the validity of six commonly-used equations for predicting REE in master athletes. In conjunction with the World Masters Athletic Championship in Malaga, Spain, we measured REE in 113 master athletes by indirect calorimetry. The most commonly used equations to predict REE [Harris & Benedict (H&B), World Health Organization (WHO), Muller (MuL), Muller-FFM (MuL-FFM), Cunningham (CUN), and De Lorenzo (LOR)] were tested for their accuracies. The influences of age, sex, height, body weight, FFM, training hours per week, phase angle, ambient temperature, and athletic specialization on REE were determined. All estimated REEs for the general population differed significantly from the measured ones (H&B, WHO, MuL, MuL-FFM, CUN, all p < 0.005). The equation put forward by De Lorenzo provided the most accurate prediction of REE for master athletes, closely followed by FFM-based Cunningham's equation. The accuracy of the remaining commonly-used prediction equations to estimate REE in master athletes are less accurate. Body weight (p < 0.001), FFM (p < 0.001), FM (p = 0.007), sex (p = 0.045) and interestingly temperature (p = 0.004) are the significant predictors of REE. We conclude that REE in master athletes is primarily determined by body composition and ambient temperature. Our study provides a first estimate of energy require

Background: Space motion sickness (SMS) is the most relevant medical problem during the first days in microgravity. Studies addressing pathophysiology in space face severe technical challenges and microgravity is frequently simulated using the 6° head-down tilt bed rest test (HDT). Aim: We were aiming to test whether SMS could be simulated by HDT, identify related changes in gastrointestinal physiology and test for beneficial effects of exercise interventions. Methods: HDT was performed in ten healthy individuals. Each individual was tested in three study campaigns varying by a 30-min daily exercise intervention of either standing, an upright exercise regimen, or no intervention. Gastrointestinal symptoms, stool characteristics, gastric emptying time, and small intestinal transit were assessed using standardized questionnaires, 13C octanoate breath test, and H2 lactulose breath test, respectively, before and at day 2 and 5 of HDT. Results: Individuals described no or minimal gastrointestinal symptoms during HDT. Gastric emptying remained unchanged relative to baseline data collection (BDC). At day 2 of HDT the H2 peak of the lactulose test appeared earlier (mean±standard error for BDC-1, HDT2, HDT5: 198±7, 139±18, 183±10min; p:0.040), indicating accelerated small intestinal transit. Furthermore, during HDT, stool was softer and stool mass increased (BDC: 47±6, HDT: 91±12, recovery: 53±8g/day; p:0.014), indicating accelerated colonic transit. Exercise interventions had no effect. Conclusion: HDT did not induce symptoms of SMS. During HDT, gastric emptying remained unchanged, but small and large intestinal transit was accelerated.

NEW FINDINGS: What is the central question of this study? It is well established that muscle and bone atrophy in conditions of inactivity or unloading, but there is little information regarding the effect of a hypoxic environment on the time course of these deconditioning physiological systems. What is the main finding and its importance? The main finding is that a horizontal 10 day bed rest in normoxia results in typical muscle atrophy, which is not aggravated by hypoxia. Changes in bone mineral content or in metabolism were not detected after either normoxic or hypoxic bed rest. ABSTRACT: Musculoskeletal atrophy constitutes a typical adaptation to inactivity and unloading of weightbearing bones. The reduced-gravity environment in future Moon and Mars habitats is likely to be hypobaric hypoxic, and there is an urgent need to understand the effect of hypoxia on the process of inactivity-induced musculoskeletal atrophy. This was the principal aim of the present study. Eleven males participated in three 10 day interventions: (i) hypoxic ambulatory confinement; (ii) hypoxic bed rest; and (iii) normoxic bed rest. Before and after the interventions, the muscle strength (isometric maximal voluntary contraction), mass (lean mass, by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry), cross-sectional area and total bone mineral content (determined with peripheral quantitative computed tomography) of the participants were measured. Blood and urine samples were collected before and on the 1st, 4th and 10th day of the intervention and analysed for biomarkers of bone resorption and formation. There was a significant reduction in thigh and lower leg muscle mass and volume after both normoxic and hypoxic bed rests. Muscle strength loss was proportionately greater than the loss in muscle mass for both thigh and lower leg. There was no indication of bone loss. Furthermore, the biomarkers of resorption and formation were not affected by any of the interventions. There was no significant effect of hy, QC 20190828

The calcium (Ca) isotopic composition in urine during bed rest has been demonstrated to be systematically light, indicating a negative bone mineral balance (i.e., bone loss). Here we present new Ca isotope data on urine during the nutritional countermeasures (NUC) bed rest study. We analyzed the Ca isotopic composition of 24 h pooled urine samples from seven healthy male subjects during baseline data collection (BDC), headdown-tilt bed rest and recovery. Additionally, we analyzed urine from two follow-up examinations after the regeneration phase. We observed a change in Ca isotopic composition during the bed rest phase, indicative of bone loss with a time delay of 10 to 21 days. We also observe that the Ca isotopic composition of urine is strongly dependent on the individual Ca metabolism and varies between subjects. We relate this individuality in Ca metabolism to differences in the amounts of Ca being recycled in the kidneys. Previous studies have shown that the more Ca is reabsorbed in the kidneys the more enriched the urine becomes in heavy isotopes of calcium. The Ca isotopic composition of urine is thus modified by more than one process and cannot be used in a straightforward manner to monitor net bone mineral balance. To overcome this problem, we propose a new baseline approach for using Ca isotopes, which effectively cancels out the effects of individual renal Ca reabsorption. This allows us to detect bone loss in patients without ambiguity by combining measurements of the Ca isotopic composition of urine and daily Ca excretion rate and comparing these to data collected on healthy individuals with a normal steady-state bone balance.