HIGH INTENSITY EXERCISE BEST
FOR ANXIETY EFFECT IN CERTAIN WOMEN
High-intensity workouts not only burn calories, they balance neurotransmitters, creating a feeling of well-being and calm.
Intense Exercise Works Best
For decades, health experts have been at odds about how much exercise
actually makes a difference on stress and anxiety. Most of them agree
that a moderate to low amount of regular exercise can ease anxiety. But
the latest research from the University of Missouri in Columbia shows
that high-intensity exercise is the best way to go.
The study, published in an upcoming issue of Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, set out to examine how exercise affects anxiety levels. Women aged 18 to 20 and 35 to 45 took part. They had different fitness levels but similar anxiety levels.
First, researchers evaluated anxiety levels and separated them
into three groups.
1. Women who exercised at moderate levels
2. Women who exercised at high intensity levels
3. Women who did not exercise (comparison group)
Researchers found that the high-intensity group showed the biggest anxiety
improvement. They measured anxiety levels at 5, 30, 60, and 90 minutes
after exercise, but ironically, the difference favoring the high-intensity
group was not immediate. It was only after 30 minutes when researchers
saw a sharp decrease in anxiety levels in this group.
Women Over 35 Benefit Most
Age also came into play. The effect on women aged 31 to 45 was nearly
twice as large as the 18- to 30-year-old group. This is news that researchers
say needs further exploring.
The research appears to suggest that the beneficial effects of exercise on anxiety may only apply to older women and not to younger women, says Richard Cox, Ph.D., professor of counseling psychology at the University of Missouri, in a news release.
Inflammation Higher Among 'Apple-Shaped' Women
By Philip A. Pappas, Ph.D., CPT
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A recent Italian study appearing
in The Journal of the American Medical Association, October 23/30 issue,
once again confirmed the health risks associated with the “apple
shaped female.”
Obese women, particularly those who carry the bulk of their weight in
their bellies, are more prone to a type of low-grade inflammation that
may increase their risk of heart disease and stroke. Several earlier studies
by other researchers also confirm these findings.
The investigators found that so-called "apple-shaped" women
were more likely to have persistent activation of blood cells called platelets,
which leads to increased blood clotting and may boost heart attack and
stroke risk. These women also tended to have a greater degree of oxidative
stress, which is caused by cell-damaging byproducts of normal metabolism
and has been linked to a number of different diseases.
The findings point to a previously unknown way that obesity affects chronic disease risk and "may have clinical implications for the primary prevention of (heart attack) in obese women," write Dr. Carlo Patrono from the Universita degli Studi "G. D'Annunzio" in Chieti, Italy, and colleagues.
In the study,
20 women with android obesity followed a 1,200-calorie daily diet for
12 weeks.
Both groups of obese women had higher levels of lipid peroxidation, which
signals oxidative stress, and platelet activation, compared with women
who were not obese. Levels among women with android obesity were markedly
higher than levels among women with gynoid obesity.
Lipid peroxides are compounds resulting from the oxidation of blood-borne fats that are thought to accumulate on the lining of arteries, contributing to atherosclerosis, or "hardening of the arteries." Platelets are a component of blood involved in the clotting process. When platelets are activated, they become sticky and form a clot. Clots that block the arteries that feed blood to the heart can result in heart problems.
Levels of an inflammatory compound called C-reactive protein (CRP) were found to predict the rate of lipid peroxidation regardless of levels of insulin and leptin, the so-called "obesity hormone." Insulin, the body's key blood sugar-regulating hormone, is elevated in people at risk of type 2 diabetes.
But women with android obesity who lost at least 5 kilograms, or 11 pounds, on a 12-week, low-calorie diet also reduced their levels of lipid peroxidation and platelet activation. Weight loss also brought down levels of insulin, leptin and CRP, the report indicates.
Review by
author
This study confirms an already researched health risk of obesity in men
and women. However, the study does not discuss the significant work done
by researchers all over the world regarding inflammation. Although weight
loss is the main intervention, diet, exercise and lifestyle changes are
often needed to control weight the inflamatory process.
Medications have not been particular successful in controlling the development of heart disease or inflammation. These drugs also have a high rate of serious side effects that limit their effectiness. Poor results with medication may also be linked to possible mis-guided focus on cholesterol instead of inflammation. Studies have never shown a significant link between cholesterol levels and heart disease. The focus on low-fat foods and cholesterol not only may have miss-directed researchers efforts, but fat itself is an important anti-inflamatory. Doctors do not rountinly test for C-reactive protien or homocystien (another inflammation marker) levels disregarding the complications of inflammation. Many insurnace providers refuse to pay for these two tests. After spending millions of dollars in research monies, the fedral government and other researchers have managed only to prove that very low cholesterol is a significant health risk while high cholesterol may or may not correlate to heart disease.
SOURCE: The
Journal of the American Medical Association 2002;288:2008- 2014.
RETURN TO PHILIP PAPPAS, Ph.D.