The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of endurance running training on pancreatic enzyme activity in aged rats. Young (Y ; age, 12 weeks) and old (O ; age, 100 weeks) female Fischer 344 rats were divided into control (YC ; n = 6, OC ; n = 4) and trained (YT ; n = 6, OT ; n=7) groups respectively. Rats in the YC and OC groups were kept sedentary. Rats in the YT and OT groups ran up a 15% gradient treadmill for 60 min a day (final speed, YT : 32 m ⋅min^-1, OT 22 m⋅min^-1), 5 days a week. After 10 weeks, the pancreas was excised and weighed. Protein content, amylase and lipase activities in pancreatic tissue were measured. Pancreatic wet weight, protein content, and enzymes (amylase and lipase) activity in the OC group were significantly lower than in the YC group. However, these parameters in the OT group were significantly higher than in the OC group. These results suggest that endurance training may restore the age-related decrease of pancreatic enzyme synthesis and storage.

In the previous studies, we found that endurance training increased pancreatic weight, protein content, and enzyme activity with hypertrophied acinar cells in rats. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of endurance training on pancreatic exocrine response to CCK in rats. Female F344 rats were divided into control (C, n=6) and endurance training (T, n=6) groups. The trained rats were exercised for 60 min on a treadmill (final speed, 35 m/min), 5 days a week, for 8 weeks. Food intake in both groups was matched. On the final day of the experiment, the rats were anesthetized after an overnight fast and prepared with cannulae into the pancreatic duct. After 1-h basal collection with 0.9% NaCl (7.5 ml/kg body weight/h) injected intravenously, CCK-8 (0.06μg/kg body weight/h) was injected intravenously and pancreatic secretions were collected for the additional three 1-h periods. Final body weight in the T group was slightly, but not significantly, lower than in the C group (C : 145±6, T : 137±8 g). Pancreatic wet weight in the T group was significantly higher than in the C group (C : 4.14±0.16, T : 4.71±0.18 mg/g BW). CCK-stimulated pancreatic juice secretion was not significantly changed. There were significant increases in pancreatic protein and amylase secretions with CCK administration. CCK-stimulated pancreatic protein and amylase secretions were significant higher in the T group than in the C group. Total pancreatic protein secretion with CCK administration during 3 hours were significant higher in the T group than in the C group (C : 2.52±1.92, T : 5.11±1.50 mg/3 h). Total amylase secretion with CCK administration during 3 hours were also significant higher in the T group than in the C group (C : 0.69±0.43, T : 1.12±0.37 U/3 h). These results suggest that the endurance training increased pancreatic exocrine secretion response to CCK. CCK may play an important role in exercise-induced enhancement of the exocrine pancreas.

The authors have found that compulsory training using treadmill running increases pancreatic weight, protein content, and enzyme activity in hypertrophied acinar cells in rats. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of voluntary running exerise on the exocrine pancreas in rats. Female F344 rats were divided into control, compulsory training, and voluntary training groups. The compulsory trained rats were exercised for 60 min on a treadmill (final speed, 35 m/min), 5 days a week, for 8 weeks. The voluntary trained rats were exercised on a voluntary basis on a wheel ergometer with a load of 30% of their body weight every day. Mean running distance for the voluntary training group was 5.2±1.0 km/day. Final body weight for the compulsory and voluntary training groups was significantly lower than for the control group. Soleus muscle weight and citrate synthase activity of the plantaris muscle for the compulsory and voluntary training groups were significantly higher than for the control group. Pancreatic wet weight, protein content, and amylase and lipase activities for the compulsory and voluntary training groups were significantly higher than for the control group. Pancreatic wet weight, protein content, and amylase and lipase activities for the compulsory and voluntary training groups were significantly higher than for the control group. Total DNA content of whole pancreas in the voluntary training group was significantly higher than for the control and compulsory training groups. Electron micrographs revealed that acinar cells obviously hypertrophied and zymogen granules increased in the compulsory and voluntary training groups rats compared with the compulsory group. These results suggest that voluntary training increases pancreatic weight and protein content in hypertrophied and/or hyperplasic acinar cells, which in turn increases synthesis and the storage of exocrine pancreatic enzymes.

We investigated the effects of habitual exercise and diet restriction on the hepatic fat accumulation in Zucker fatty rats. Male 6-week-old Zucker fatty rats were divided into obese (Ob), diet restriction (DR), and diet restriction + exercise (DR + Ex) groups. Male Zucker lean rats (L) were used as a control group. The rats in the L and Ob groups were maintained on ad libitum diets. The rats in the DR and DR + Ex groups were fed a 30% restricted diet. The rats in the DR + Ex group exercised voluntarily on a wheel ergometer. After 6 weeks of intervention, the serum free fatty acid and leptin levels in the Ob group were significantly higher than those in the L group. In the Ob group, the hepatic triglyceride content was higher than that in the L group and hepatocyte fat infiltration was observed on haematoxylin and eosin staining. These changes were suppressed by DR + Ex, but not by the DR intervention. These results suggest that habitual exercise inhibits fat accumulation in the liver of Zucker fatty rats.

Effects of sit-up exercise in the healthy adults to the point of exhaustion on the respiratory-circulatory functions and oxygen consumption were studied in thirtyone males and thirtysix females whose age varied between twenty and thirtyf our years old. The subjects were classified into two groups, the superior and the inferior, according to the number of sit-ups to reach the exhaustion point. Collected vallues were compared between the pre-exercise and the post-exercise records. The results were as follows ;
1) No sex differences in the inferior group were found in the degree of increase in systolic pressure, heart rate and respiratory rate.
2) In the superior group, no sex difference was found in the degree of increase in respiration rate, but male subjects were greater than female subjects in the degree of increase in both systolic pressure and heart rate.
3) In males, when the superior subjects were compared with the inferior subjects, the former were greater than the latter in the degree of increase in both systolic pressure and heart rate, but in females no differences were found.
4) In males the more the degree of increase in blood pressure, the more the degree of increase in heart rate. In contrast with males, in females there were no relation between them were observed.
5) It was recognized that relative metabolic rate varied in values from 4.7-13.5 and there was a tendency among the inferior subjects to have a large relative metabolic rate.

Uninterrupted recordings of grip strength were measured in the male and female physical education students, university sports club members, middle-aged physical laborers and clerks, and young weight-lifters. The results were as follows ;
1) In the rate of supporting of uninterrupted measurements of grip strength, recordings among the males were greater than females. But, there were no differences between the recordings in the rate of supporting at morning and at evening.
2) In the university sports club members, the rate of supporting of Basketball club members were the most, Judo, the medium, Volleyball, Tennis, and others, the least.
3) Among the middle-aged subjects, the rate of supporting of uninterrupted measurements of grip strength indicate high in physical laborers and low in the clerks.
4) The rate of supporting of uninterrupted measurements of grip strength in youngweight-lifters was smaller than in well trained weight-lifters.
5) By the comparison between right and left recordings in the rate of supporting of uninterrupted measurements of grip strength, certain tendencies were observed in some sports, but, not greater than differences among some sports. Certain individual, however, indicate great differences between right and left recordings.
6) No significant correlations between maximum grip strength and rate of supporting of uninterrupted measurements were observed.

N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation has been recognized to affect the peripheral oxygen delivery system with increasing blood rheology. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation, using purified perilla oil rich in α-linoleic acid, improves aerobic capacity in young women. Eighteen young, sedentary female college students were divided into an n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplemented control group (PUFA-C, n=10) and an n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplemented trained group (PUFA-T, n=8). All subjects took 20g of perilla oil (11g of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid) in addition to the usual diet throughout the experimental period of 4 weeks. PUFA-T subjects exercised for 30 min on a bicycle ergometer (intensity, 60% of VO₂max) 4 times a week for 4 weeks. Maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂max) and oxygen uptake at the ventilatory anaerobic threshold level (VT) significantly (p<0.05) increased after treatment in both groups. However, the endurance time in the exhaustive exercise test significantly (p<0.05) increased in the PUFA-T group only. Increasing rates of VO₂max and VT with treatment for the PUFA-C group were lower than those for the PUFA-T group (VO₂max, 12.6% vs 14.4%, VT, 9.7% vs 16.9%). After treatment, these values returned to baseline levels within 2 months of the recovery period without n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation in both groups. Only for the PUFA-T group, VO₂max and VT at 2 months after the treatment period were significantly (p<0.05) higher compared with baseline levels. These results suggest that n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation might have a beneficial effect on improving aerobic capacity with increasing peripheral oxygen delivery. However, n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation was less effective than aerobic training.

The objective of this study was to examine whether the combination of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids PUFA) supplementation and physical exercise training would decrease oxidative stress in comparison with n-3 PUFA supplementation only in humans. Eighteen women college students were divided into a perilla oil supplemented control group or a perilla oil supplemented physical exercise trained group throughout the experimental period of 4 weeks. After the intervention in both groups, plasma triglyceride levels were decreased. Serum thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) level in the control group was increased by n-3 PUFA supplementation. In the trained group, however, TBARS level was unchanged. Plasma vitamin C level in the trained group was significantly decreased by n-3 PUFA supplementation. These results suggest that the combination of n-3 PUFA supplementation and physical exercise training might result in attenuated tissue damage induced by reactive oxygen species, if appropriate daily antioxidants, especially vitamin C, were provided.

The purpose of this study was to assess the status of nutrients intake in male Japanese collegiate athletes. Each 20 of baseball (B), soccer (S), volley ball (V), and long distance (L) athletes participated in this study. The B, S, and V athletes lived by themselves, whereas the L athletes lived in an athletes dormitory with provided meal. The nutritional status was assessed for 2 days. Mean energy intakes in the B, S, V, and L groups were 43.6, 53.7, 47.0, and 55.0 kcal/kg body weight, respectively. Mean protein intakes were 1.2, 1.6, 1.3 and 2.4 g/kg, respectively. In B athletes, skipping of breakfast was recognized frequently. Most of micronutrients intakes in the B, S, and V groups were less than the recommended dietary allowances for athletes. We suggest that a provided meal system is a better system for collegiate athletes and more nutritional education is necessary for Japanese male collegiate athletes, in particular, those living by themselves.