Repeated concussions dramatically increase a hockey player’s risk of depression and burnout, a new study warns. Hockey players who’d suffered three or more concussions had twice the risk of depression symptoms than whose who’d never had a concussion, researchers found. They also faced three and a half times the risk of burnout symptoms, results showed. Concussion caused these effects in both male and female players, the researchers noted. “Other studies have shown that women experience more short-term symptoms after a concussion than men, but it was interesting that the link between concussion and heightened prevalence of symptoms of depression, anxiety and burnout was equally strong for both sexes,” said lead researcher Mitchell Andersson, a doctoral student in psychiatry at Lund University in Sweden. “This might indicate that the long-term neuropsychiatric recovery process is more similar in men and women than the short-term process,” Andersson added in a university news release. For the study, researchers surveyed nearly 650 active hockey players in Sweden’s top hockey divisions. They found that more than 1 in 4 men and nearly 1 in 5 women reported having suffered three or more concussions. Both men and women had a higher risk of depression if they’d suffered repeated concussions, researchers found. Athletes with at least three concussions were also 3.5 times more likely to develop burnout as those with none, and twice… read on > read on >
All Sports:
Vigorous Workouts Suppress Hunger, Especially for Women
A heart-pounding workout suppresses a person’s hunger levels better than less strenuous exercises like a brisk walk or active yoga, a new study shows. Running, swimming laps or taking a fast-paced spin class is more effective in suppressing the hunger hormone ghrelin than less intense exercise, researchers report. What’s more, women might respond better than men to this sort of exercise, results show. “We found that high-intensity exercise suppressed ghrelin levels more than moderate intensity exercise,” said lead researcher Kara Anderson, a postdoctoral fellow with the University of Virginia School of Medicine. “In addition, we found that individuals felt ‘less hungry’ after high-intensity exercise compared to moderate-intensity exercise.” For the study, researchers examined eight men and six women. All fasted overnight and then completed exercises of varying intensity levels. The intensity of their exercise was measured by levels of lactic acid in their bloodstream. Lactic acid is produced in the body during intense physical activity. The researchers then tested participants’ blood levels of ghrelin, and asked them to self-report their appetite levels. Ghrelin has been shown to have wide-ranging effects in the body, influencing energy balance, appetite, blood sugar levels, immune function, sleep and memory, researchers noted. Women had higher levels of ghrelin prior to exercise, compared to men. But only women had significantly reduced levels of acylated ghrelin — one form of the hormone —… read on > read on >
Common Post-Injury Action by Players Signals Concussion, Study Shows
Maybe you’ve seen a cartoon character shake their head back and forth following a sharp blow — clearing away whatever stars or birds are circling their noggins. Turns out, that same move might help coaches and physical trainers identify a concussion that’s occurred on the field. About 72% of athletes — and 92% of football players — said they’ve quickly shaken their head back and forth following a concussion, researchers report. These SHAAKEs — Spontaneous Headshake After a Kinematic Event — might help identify up to 33% of concussions that might otherwise be missed, researchers argued. “Sports and medical organizations should immediately add SHAAKE to their lists of potential concussion signs,” said researcher Chris Nowinski, co-founder of the Concussion Legacy Foundation. “Coaches, medical professionals and concussion spotters should be trained to recognize when a SHAAKE happens and remove athletes for further assessment,” Nowinski added. “It’s an easy change, with no downside, that could prevent catastrophic outcomes and save careers.” A SHAAKE occurs within seconds or minutes of an impact, researchers said. People shake their heads side to side two to eight times a second, typically for less than two seconds, and they aren’t trying to communicate non-verbally with someone else. Nowinski recognized SHAAKE as a potential concussion sign after Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered a controversial undiagnosed concussion during a game on Sept. 25,… read on > read on >
Aerobic Exercise May Ease ‘Brain Fog’ of Breast Cancer Chemo
Women fighting breast cancer can relieve some of their chemotherapy “brain fog” through aerobic exercise, a new clinical trial in Canada suggests. Breast cancer patients on chemo who participated in a regular aerobics class reported that they felt sharper and had better quality of life, researchers found. “Our findings strengthen the case for making exercise assessment, recommendation and referral a routine part of cancer care,” said lead researcher Jennifer Brunet, a professor of human kinetics with the University of Ottawa. “This may help empower women living with and beyond cancer to actively manage both their physical and mental health during and after treatment.” For the study, 57 breast cancer patients in Ottawa and Vancouver were randomly assigned to take either 12 weeks or 24 weeks of aerobic exercise along with their chemotherapy. About half of the women started their aerobics regimen at the same time they initiated chemo, and the other half started after they completed chemo. No significant differences between the two groups were found in objective tests of brain function. However, women who took part in aerobics during chemo reported that they felt like they had a clearer, sharper mind, and that their overall quality of life was better. The new study was published recently in the journal Cancer. The results show that more exercise options need to be made available to women… read on > read on >
Many Teens Using Protein Bars, Shakes to Boost Muscle
Teenagers are increasingly turning to protein-packed bars, shakes and powders to help them add muscle to their frames, a new study shows. Two in five parents say their teen consumed protein supplements in the past year, according to the University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health. Teen boys more commonly turned to protein supplements, which they were more likely to take every day or most days, parents said. “Protein is part of a healthy diet, but it can be hard for parents to tell if their child is consuming the right amount,” said Mott Poll co-director Sarah Clark. “Our poll highlights that many teens are using protein supplements, particularly protein powders, to improve their athletic performance and build muscle.” Boys are more likely to use protein supplements to boost muscle growth and for athletic training, researchers said. On the other hand, girls more often use protein supplements to replace a meal when they’re on-the-go or to help maintain a balanced diet, results show. About 1 in 10 parents also indicated their teen used protein supplements to help with weight loss, most often girls. This additional protein likely is unnecessary for most teenagers, Clark said. “Despite what some teens — and their parents or coaches — think, eating more protein than what your body needs will not result in larger… read on > read on >
Fitness, Activity Boosts Kids’ Mental Health, Too
Kids with good physical fitness are more likely to grow into teens with better mental health and brain function, a new study has found. Children who performed better at shuttle sprints scored better on cognitive tests as teenagers, researchers found. In addition, better cardio fitness in childhood added up to lower levels of stress and depression among teenagers, results show. “Our results should encourage policymakers as well as parents and guardians to see the significance of physical fitness more holistically, as poor physical fitness can increase mental health challenges and impair cognitive skills needed for learning,” said lead researcher Eero Haapala, a senior lecturer of sports and exercise medicine at the University of Jyvaskyla in Finland. In the study, researchers followed the physical fitness of 241 Finnish kids for eight years, tracking them from childhood through to adolescence. Tests of physical fitness were compared to scores of kids’ thinking ability and emotional health. The findings, published recently in the journal Sports Medicine, showed that the more fit the kids were, the less stress and depression they reported as teenagers. This could be because kids with better physical health have more self-esteem and better mental resilience, researchers said. However, the researchers warned that kids who spend more times with screens might find the benefits of physical fitness blunted a bit. “The whole of society should support… read on > read on >