Good afternoon, everyone! Here's a bunch of interesting stuff I've been reading about lately....
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INTERVAL TRAINING FOR METABOLIC SYNDROME
A study was recently published in the journal Circulation indicating that interval training may work better than steady cardio for improving metabolic syndrome. In this study, two groups exercised 3 days per week. One group did steady aerobic exercise for 47 minutes at 70% of maximum heart rate. The other group did a 10 minute warmup at 70% maximum heart rate, and followed that with four 4-minute intervals at 90% maximum heart rate, with a 3-minute recovery between each interval at 70% maximum heart rate. They then did a 5 minute cooldown.
The researchers found that interval training resulted in superior improvements in metabolic syndrome risk factors, fitness, insulin signaling (the ability of insulin to tell cells to take sugar out of the blood), blood sugar reduction, and endothelial cell function (the function of the cells that line your blood vessels). The interval training also reduced the body's ability to form fat more than the steady cardio did.
So, if you've got no conditions that might stop you from throwing in some intense interval training into your workout regimen, then give interval training a shot. It will make your workout more interesting, and you'll get better results.
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DON'T MONKEY AROUND WITH TRANS-FATS
I'm sure you know that trans-fats aren't good for you. They increase your risk of heart disease and diabetes. Well, it looks like they can also make you fat. In a study on monkeys, researchers found that trans fats increased body weight without an increase in calories. This means that trans fats are stored much more efficiently in your body as fat than normal fats are. Also, the researchers found that trans fats increase abdominal obesity and insulin resistance.
So, if you didn't have enough reasons to avoid trans fats in your diet, now you have another one.
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EASY ON THE SELENIUM
I mentioned in a past blog how we're a bit too antioxidant-crazy in our society. Antioxidants in moderation are good for us, but too much can be harmful.
Selenium is a mineral that our bodies need in low amounts. It is used to make important antioxidants called selenoproteins. However, be careful of getting too much. One study found that people who got 200 micrograms of selenium each day had a 55% greater risk of developing diabetes over the next 7-8 years. These were people who weren't getting much selenium in their diet, either.
The RDA for selenium is 55 micrograms. If you stick with doses of 55 - 70 micrograms that are found in most multivitamins, you'll be getting plenty of selenium. I'd stay away from antioxidant supplements that contain doses higher than 100 micrograms.