{"title":"Postural control strategies with alterations in visual input conditions in a standing position.","authors":"Yumi Okayama, Mashu Maekawa, Shinichi Daikuya","doi":"10.1007/s00421-024-05635-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00421-024-05635-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Mediated by balance systems, postural control relies heavily on visual input. However, the precise relationship between various visual conditions and postural strategies for balance remains unclear. This study investigated alterations in the center of pressure (COP) and ankle muscle activity during standing positions in healthy individuals under different visual conditions.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Fifty-three healthy university students participated in the study. Stabilometry was conducted to evaluate the total path length and outer circumferential area for the COP. Further, surface electromyography was utilized to assess the activity of the bilateral tibialis anterior (TA) and lateral head of gastrocnemius muscles. Participants were instructed to maintain an upright posture under three visual conditions: binocular (eyes open) and monocular (either closing the dominant or nondominant eye). The three conditions were compared using a one-way analysis of variance.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>No significant differences were observed in the COP across visual conditions. However, in the TA of the nondominant leg, the mean values for the binocular, dominant eye, and nondominant eye conditions were 0.91, 1.08, and 1.14 times that of the resting standing position. Notably, the TA of the nondominant leg was significantly lower in the binocular condition than the dominant and nondominant eye conditions.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The study findings indicate that the COP remain consistent despite variations in external visual input. This stability is likely maintained through compensatory adjustments, such as increased TA muscle activity in the nondominant leg under the nondominant eye condition. These observations highlight the complex interplay between the visual perception and postural stability.</p>","PeriodicalId":12005,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Applied Physiology","volume":" ","pages":"707-714"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142389091","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Antonio Martos-Arregui, Zhaoqian Li, Sergio Miras-Moreno, Daniel Marcos-Frutos, Pablo Jiménez-Martínez, Carlos Alix-Fages, Danica Janicijevic, Amador García-Ramos
{"title":"Comparative effects of caffeine, beta-alanine, and their combination on mechanical, physiological, and perceptual responses to upper-body superset resistance training.","authors":"Antonio Martos-Arregui, Zhaoqian Li, Sergio Miras-Moreno, Daniel Marcos-Frutos, Pablo Jiménez-Martínez, Carlos Alix-Fages, Danica Janicijevic, Amador García-Ramos","doi":"10.1007/s00421-024-05639-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00421-024-05639-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Caffeine and beta-alanine are widely used in multi-ingredient pre-workout supplements believed to enhance resistance training, but their specific role in driving this effect remains unclear. The current study employed a randomized, triple-blinded, placebo-controlled and crossover experimental design to explore the acute effects of caffeine (200 mg), beta-alanine (3 g), or their combination (200 mg caffeine and 3 g beta-alanine; C+B-A) administered 30 min prior to resistance training (RT) on mechanical, physiological, and perceptual variables. Twenty-one young resistance-trained males (age = 23.5 ± 4.5 years, body mass = 82.1 ± 10.2 kg) visited the laboratory on six occasions: one familiarization session, one preliminary testing session for load determination, and four experimental sessions which differed only in supplementation condition and involved four supersets of bench press and bench pull exercises. The supplement condition did not significantly affect any mechanical variables (p ≥ 0.335), except for the velocity of the last repetition of the set, where beta-alanine produced lower values (0.383 m/s) compared to placebo (0.407 m/s; p < 0.05), with no differences observed for C+B-A (0.397 m/s) and caffeine (0.392 m/s). Heart rate was consistent across the different supplement conditions with the exception of the higher values observed immediately before the start of the RT session for placebo compared to caffeine (p = 0.010) and C+B-A (p = 0.019). Post-RT blood lactate concentration (p = 0.384), general and local ratings of perceived exertion (p = 0.177 and 0.160, respectively), and readiness (p = 0.281-0.925), did not differ significantly between supplement conditions. Selected supplements have minimal effects on performance and physiological responses in agonist-antagonist upper-body superset RT not leading to failure.</p>","PeriodicalId":12005,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Applied Physiology","volume":" ","pages":"837-850"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142497561","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Correction to: Modelling to decipher physiological determinants of improved muscle endurance.","authors":"Nicolas Place, Håkan Westerblad","doi":"10.1007/s00421-024-05634-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00421-024-05634-9","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":12005,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Applied Physiology","volume":" ","pages":"593"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142590343","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The effect of exercise and physical activity on skeletal muscle epigenetics and metabolic adaptations.","authors":"Gregg Mallett","doi":"10.1007/s00421-025-05704-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00421-025-05704-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Physical activity (PA) and exercise elicit adaptations and physiological responses in skeletal muscle, which are advantageous for preserving health and minimizing chronic illnesses. The complicated atmosphere of the exercise response can be attributed to hereditary and environmental variables. The primary cause of these adaptations and physiological responses is the transcriptional reactions that follow exercise, whether endurance- (ET) or resistance- training (RT). As a result, the essential metabolic and regulatory pathways and myogenic genes associated with skeletal muscle alter in response to acute and chronic exercise. Epigenetics is the study of the relationship between genetics and the environment. Exercise evokes signaling pathways that strongly alter myofiber metabolism and skeletal muscle physiological and contractile properties. Epigenetic modifications have recently come to light as essential regulators of exercise adaptations. Research has shown various epigenetic markers linked to PA and exercise. The most critical epigenetic alterations in gene transcription identified are DNA methylation and histone modifications, which are associated with the transcriptional response of skeletal muscle to exercise and facilitate the modification to exercise. Other changes in the epigenetic markers are starting to emerge as essential processes for gene transcription, including acetylation as a new epigenetic modification, mediated changes by methylation, phosphorylation, and micro-RNA (miRNA). This review briefly introduces PA and exercise and associated benefits, provides a summary of epigenetic modifications, and a fundamental review of skeletal muscle physiology. The objectives of this review are 1) to discuss exercise-induced adaptations related to epigenetics and 2) to examine the interaction between exercise metabolism and epigenetics.</p>","PeriodicalId":12005,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Applied Physiology","volume":" ","pages":"611-627"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142947016","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Maxens Decavèle, Marie-Cécile Nierat, Louis Laviolette, Nicolas Wattiez, Damien Bachasson, Gabriel Kemoun, Capucine Morélot-Panzini, Alexandre Demoule, Thomas Similowski
{"title":"Multimodal physiological correlates of dyspnea ratings during breath-holding in healthy humans.","authors":"Maxens Decavèle, Marie-Cécile Nierat, Louis Laviolette, Nicolas Wattiez, Damien Bachasson, Gabriel Kemoun, Capucine Morélot-Panzini, Alexandre Demoule, Thomas Similowski","doi":"10.1007/s00421-024-05627-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00421-024-05627-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction and objectives: </strong>Dyspnea is associated with fear and intense suffering and is often assessed using visual analog scales (VAS) or numerical rating scales (NRS). However, the physiological correlates of such ratings are not well known. Using the voluntary breath-holding model of induced dyspnea, we studied healthy volunteers to investigate the temporal relationship between dyspnea, the neural drive to breathe assessed in terms of involuntary thoracoabdominal movements (ITMs) and neurovegetative responses.</p><p><strong>Participants and methods: </strong>Twenty-three participants (10 men; median [interquartile range] age 21 [20-21]) performed three consecutive breath-holds with the continuous assessment of dyspnea (urge-to-breathe) using a 10 cm VAS, thoracic and abdominal circumferences measured with piezoelectric belt-mounted transducers, heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV), and galvanic skin response (GSR). Urge-to-breathe VAS at the onset of ITMs (gasping point) was identified visually or algorithmically.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Urge-to-breathe VAS at the end of the breath-hold was 9.7 [8.6-10] cm. Total breath-hold duration was 93 [69-130] s. Urge-to-breathe VAS, ITM, heart rate, HRV, and GSR significantly increased during breath-hold. Urge-to-breathe VAS correlated with the magnitude of the thoracic and abdominal movements (rho = 0.51 and rho = 0.59, respectively, p < 0.001). The urge-to-breathe ratings corresponding with ITM onset were 3.0 [2.0-4.7] cm and 3.0 [1.0-4.0] cm for visual and algorithmic detection, respectively (p = 0.782).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>An urge-to-breathe VAS of 3 cm (30% of full scale on a 10 cm VAS) corresponds to a physiological turning point during the physiological response to voluntary breath-holding in healthy humans.</p>","PeriodicalId":12005,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Applied Physiology","volume":" ","pages":"729-737"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142399816","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Austin B Shaw, Lydia K Caldwell, John Michael Mihalek, Claudio A Gobatto, Marcelo Papoti, Fúlvia de Barros Manchado-Gobatto, David W Hill
{"title":"An alternate to accumulated oxygen deficit (AOD) for measuring anaerobic contribution: 'AOD_alt' is valid in normoxia and hypoxia.","authors":"Austin B Shaw, Lydia K Caldwell, John Michael Mihalek, Claudio A Gobatto, Marcelo Papoti, Fúlvia de Barros Manchado-Gobatto, David W Hill","doi":"10.1007/s00421-024-05611-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00421-024-05611-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>The gold standard measure of anaerobic contribution is accumulated oxygen deficit (AOD). The purpose of this study was to investigate the validity of an alternate measure, AOD_alt. AOD_alt is the sum of the phosphocreatine and glycolytic contributions, which are estimated from post-exercise oxygen uptake and blood lactate concentration, respectively.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In Study One, six women and three men performed 6-min bouts of heavy intensity cycle ergometer exercise, once in normoxia (F<sub>I</sub>O<sub>2</sub> ~ 21%) and twice under hypoxic conditions (F<sub>I</sub>O<sub>2</sub> ~ 15% and ~ 12%). In Study Two, four women and two men performed severe intensity tests to exhaustion, once in normoxia (~ 10 min) and twice in hypoxia (F<sub>I</sub>O<sub>2</sub> ~ 15% and ~ 10%). Physiological responses were measured during exercise and 7 min of recovery.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In 6 min of heavy exercise, Study One, the alternate and criterion measures of anaerobic contribution (AOD_alt and AOD) were correlated, in normoxia and in hypoxia. In exhaustive severe exercise, Study Two, AOD_alt and AOD were correlated (r = 0.77) and similar, in normoxia and at F<sub>I</sub>O<sub>2</sub> ~ 15%. However, AOD_alt and AOD values were neither correlated (r = 0.27) nor similar (57 ± 5 mL·kg<sup>-1</sup> vs 51 ± 7 mL·kg<sup>-1</sup>) at F<sub>I</sub>O<sub>2</sub> ~ 10%.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These results confirm the validity of AOD_alt as a measure of anaerobic capacity in severe intensity exercise, demonstrate its validity in heavy exercise, and assert its validity in conditions of hypoxia (F<sub>I</sub>O<sub>2</sub> ~ 12%).</p>","PeriodicalId":12005,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Applied Physiology","volume":" ","pages":"653-670"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142377805","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mathilde Fiona Bertrand, Giorgio Varesco, Guillaume Y Millet, Léonard Féasson, Thomas Lapole, Vianney Rozand
{"title":"Are females getting more fatigable as they age?","authors":"Mathilde Fiona Bertrand, Giorgio Varesco, Guillaume Y Millet, Léonard Féasson, Thomas Lapole, Vianney Rozand","doi":"10.1007/s00421-024-05637-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00421-024-05637-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>The aim of this study was to compare performance fatigability between young (n = 13; 18-35 yr.; 23.5 ± 3.3 yr.), old (n = 13; 60-79 yr.; 68.2 ± 4.3 yr.), and very old (n = 11; ≥ 80 yr.; 85.6 ± 1.8 yr.) females during single-limb isometric (ISO) vs. isokinetic concentric (CON) vs. cycling (BIKE) fatiguing tasks.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Participants randomly performed three incremental fatiguing tasks where increments were set as percentage of body weight to better reflect the daily life: (1) ISO and (2) CON consisted of stages of 75 contractions (120 s, 0.8 s on/0.8 s off) on an isokinetic dynamometer and (3) BIKE consisted of stages of 120 s at 37.5 rpm with similar duty cycle. Knee extensors maximal force, voluntary activation and potentiated twitch amplitude were measured at baseline, after each stage and at exhaustion.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Compared to young, exercise performance was 20% and 53% lower in old and very old females in ISO, 46% and 76% lower in CON and 32% and 62% lower in BIKE (all p < 0.01). For a given workload (i.e. common stages), performance fatigability (i.e. force loss) was greater for very old compared to young females in CON only (p = 0.018). At exhaustion, performance fatigability was similar across groups and conditions (~ 30%; all p > 0.05), with similar impairments in both voluntary activation and twitch amplitude.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These results emphasize the importance of the kind of fatiguing task and modalities of evaluation when investigating the effects of aging on performance fatigability.</p>","PeriodicalId":12005,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Applied Physiology","volume":" ","pages":"793-804"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142461169","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
John P Sasso, Kyla Coates, Liam Stewart, Jinelle Gelinas, Stephen P Wright, Stephen Seiler, Robert Shave, Neil D Eves
{"title":"Examining the acute cardiovagal consequences of supine recovery during high-intensity interval exercise.","authors":"John P Sasso, Kyla Coates, Liam Stewart, Jinelle Gelinas, Stephen P Wright, Stephen Seiler, Robert Shave, Neil D Eves","doi":"10.1007/s00421-024-05641-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00421-024-05641-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Exercise training requires the careful application of training dose to maximize adaptation while minimizing the risk of illness and injury. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a potent method for improving health and fitness but generates substantial autonomic imbalance. Assuming a supine posture between intervals is a novel strategy that could enhance physiological readiness and training adaptations. This study aimed to establish the safety and feasibility of supine recovery within a HIIT session and explore its acute effects.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Fifteen healthy, active males (18-34 years) underwent assessment of cardiopulmonary fitness. Participants completed two identical HIIT treadmill sessions (4 x [3 min at 95% VO<sub>2max</sub>, 3 min recovery]) employing passive recovery in standing (STANDard) or supine (SUPER) posture between intervals. Heart rate variability (HRV), HRV recovery (HRVrec; lnRMSSD) and heart rate recovery at 1 min (HRrec) were assessed using submaximal constant speed running tests (CST) completed prior to, immediately after and 24 h following HIIT.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>No severe adverse events occurred with SUPER, and compliance was similar between conditions (100 ± 0%). The change in HRVrec from the CST pre-to-post-HIIT was not different between conditions (p = 0.38); however, HRrec was faster following SUPER (39 ± 7 bpm) vs. STANDard (36 ± 5 bpm). HRV 24 h post-SUPER was also greater (3.56 ± 0.57 ms) compared to STANDard (3.37 ± 0.42 ms). Despite no differences in perceived exertion (p = 0.23) and blood lactate levels (p = 0.35) between SUPER and STANDard, average running HRs were lower (p = 0.04) with SUPER (174 ± 7 bpm) vs. STANDard (176 ± 7 bpm).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Supine recovery within HIIT attenuates acute cardioautonomic perturbation and accelerates post-exercise vagal reactivation. SUPER enhances recovery of vagal modulation, potentially improving physiological preparedness 24 h post-HIIT. Further research exploring the chronic effects of SUPER are now warranted.</p>","PeriodicalId":12005,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Applied Physiology","volume":" ","pages":"869-883"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142497563","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sofia Serafini, Davide Charrier, Pascal Izzicupo, Francisco Esparza-Ros, Raquel Vaquero-Cristóbal, Cristian Petri, Malek Mecherques-Carini, Nicolas Baglietto, Francis Holway, Grant Tinsley, Antonio Paoli, Francesco Campa
{"title":"Anthropometric-based predictive equations developed with multi-component models for estimating body composition in athletes.","authors":"Sofia Serafini, Davide Charrier, Pascal Izzicupo, Francisco Esparza-Ros, Raquel Vaquero-Cristóbal, Cristian Petri, Malek Mecherques-Carini, Nicolas Baglietto, Francis Holway, Grant Tinsley, Antonio Paoli, Francesco Campa","doi":"10.1007/s00421-024-05672-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00421-024-05672-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Body composition can be estimated using anthropometric-based regression models, which are population-specific and should not be used interchangeably. However, the widespread availability of predictive equations in the literature makes selecting the most valid equations challenging. This systematic review compiles anthropometric-based predictive equations for estimating body mass components, focusing on those developed specifically for athletes using multicomponent models (i.e. separation of body mass into ≥ 3 components).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Twenty-nine studies published between 2000 and 2024 were identified through a systematic search of international electronic databases (PubMed and Scopus). Studies using substandard procedures or developing predictive equations for non-athletic populations were excluded.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 40 equations were identified from the 29 studies. Of these, 36 were applicable to males and 17 to females. Twenty-six equations were developed to estimate fat mass, 10 for fat-free mass, three for appendicular lean soft tissue, and one for skeletal muscle mass. Thirteen equations were designed for mixed athletes, while others focused on specific contexts: soccer (n = 8); handball and rugby (n = 3 each); jockeys, swimming, and Gaelic football (n = 2 each); and futsal, padel, basketball, volleyball, American football, karate, and wheelchair athletes (n = 1 each).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This review presented high-standards anthropometric-based predictive equations for assessing body composition in athletes and encourages the development of new equations for underrepresented sports in the current literature.</p>","PeriodicalId":12005,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Applied Physiology","volume":" ","pages":"595-610"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142784749","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Marianne Lucena da Silva, Liana Barbaresco Gomide Matheus, Ana Claudia de Souza Alves Braga, Miguel Luciano Rodrigues da Silva Junior, Lucas Alves Jaques, Diego Vieira de Mattos, Katiane da Costa Cunha, Aline Teixeira Alves
{"title":"Influence of physical activity practice on sexual function in men: a systematic review.","authors":"Marianne Lucena da Silva, Liana Barbaresco Gomide Matheus, Ana Claudia de Souza Alves Braga, Miguel Luciano Rodrigues da Silva Junior, Lucas Alves Jaques, Diego Vieira de Mattos, Katiane da Costa Cunha, Aline Teixeira Alves","doi":"10.1007/s00421-025-05734-0","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-025-05734-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>While the health benefits of regular physical activity are well-documented, there is limited evidence specifically addressing its impact on male sexual function.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A systematic review was conducted to investigate the influence of physical activity practice on sexual function in men. The studies were sourced from PubMed, Embase, Virtual Health Library, Scopus, Web of Science and Cochrane through May 2024.The recommendations and criteria described in the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and Cochrane Handbook were followed. Two independent reviewers assessed the quality of the literature.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 15 studies were eligible. According to the studies, physical exercise is highly associated with better sexual function in patients without comorbidities, patients with diabetes mellitus, patients with chronic heart failure, and patients of different races. Exercise influences the production of nitric oxide, improves insulin sensitivity, reduces levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and increases testosterone levels. These effects can help maintain arterial stiffness, improve vascular function, support the maintenance of male erection, and improve sexual dysfunctions.</p><p><strong>Clinical implications: </strong>Healthcare professionals might consider prescribing exercise for men with sexual dysfunction.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This systematic review provides evidence that physical activity practice improves sexual function.</p>","PeriodicalId":12005,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Applied Physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143500091","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}