Alain Massart

Purpose: This study aimed to compare respiratory parameters and sleep quality between physically active and inactive young adult males, while exploring correlations between these domains. Method: In a semi-experimental design, 15 active males (aged 20–23 years; ≥8 hours/week moderate-to-vigorous activity; >2 years sports experience) and 15 inactive males (≤3 hours/week activity; no sports experience) were recruited. Anthropometric measures (height, weight, BMI, body fat percentage, heart rate) were assessed. Pulmonary function—including forced vital capacity (FVC), vital capacity (VC), maximum voluntary ventilation (MVV), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), percentage predicted FEV1 (%FEV1), and maximum expiratory flows at 25% and 75% of FVC (MEF25%, MEF75%)—was evaluated via spirometry (Fukuda ST-95) per American Thoracic Society guidelines. Sleep quality was quantified using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Independent t-tests compared groups; Pearson correlations and multiple linear regressions examined associations (α = 0.05). Results: Active participants displayed superior respiratory metrics ( p < 0.05): higher FVC ( p = 0.023), VC ( p = 0.002), MVV ( p = 0.001), FEV1 ( p = 0.001), %FEV1 ( p = 0.001), MEF25% ( p = 0.026), and MEF75% ( p = 0.042). PSQI scores were significantly lower (better) in the active group (4.13 ± 1.18) versus inactive (6.53 ± 2.50; p = 0.002). No baseline differences emerged in age, height, weight, heart rate, fat percentage, or BMI ( p > 0.05). In the active group, each 1-unit increase in FEV1, MVV, VC, FVC, and MEF75% was associated with corresponding reductions in sleep quality scores of 0.217, 0.127, 0.370, 0.386, and 0.194 units, respectively (all p > 0.05). Regressions and correlations between respiratory indices and sleep quality were non-significant in both groups. Conclusion: Regular physical activity enhances sleep quality and respiratory function in young males, though direct mechanistic links were not evident in this cohort. These findings advocate exercise as a non-pharmacological strategy for addressing sleep and pulmonary health, warranting larger, diverse studies to elucidate interactions.

Background: The immune properties of mothers’ milk are well known. But the effects of physical activity on humeral immune properties of mothers’ milk is still undetermined. Therefore, reports on the impact of exercise on IgA concentrations of mothers’ milk is controversial. The purpose of the present study was the investigation of the effects of selected aerobic exercises in maximum intensity of 60-70% of heart rate reserve on IgA concentrations in breast milk as well as body composition. Method: In this research, 28 sedentary women (29±5.7 years; VO2max 36±4 ml/Kg/min), divided into two exercise and control groups through random sampling, took part. The exercise group performed some particular exercises for 10 weeks whereas the control group did not do so. Milk samples were taken from both groups and measured by the ELISA method. Body composition was also measured in different stages of the study. Results: In the rest status, the two groups were identical in terms of IgA concentrations (p= 0.549) and body composition (p=0.204). IgA concentrations under exercise load of 60% (p=0.060) and 70% (p= 0.001) of the HRR respectively showed a significant increase as compared to the resting status mean values in the two groups. Body composition variables were only of significant values in terms of comparing the general effects, only in the factors of group (p=0.003) and reciprocal effect of the grouping - the duration of the exercises (p=0.024). Conclusions: The results of this research show that, under the effects of moderate intensity exercise, the mothers’ secretory immune system experiences some changes. Therefore, IgA concentrations in the milk increase. In addition, with the reduction of fat weight, the decrease of fat mass percentage, and increase in the body density, the level of the mothers’ aerobic fitness is increased, which is in no contradiction with their lactation performance.