Francisco José Amaro-Gahete

University of Granada | UGR · Department of Physiology

The increase in age-related comorbidities, such as cardiometabolic diseases, has become a global health priority. There is a growing need to find new parameters capable of improving the detection of cardiometabolic risk factors, and circulating endocannabinoids (eCBs) are a promising tool in this context. Here, we aimed to investigate the relations...

Background: Exercise is an essential pillar for human health, as it contributes to physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Well-recognized international organizations, such as the World Health Organization, advocate for integrating exercise into healthy lifestyles, recognizing its importance in disease prevention and improving quality of life....

Background This study aims to examine the relationship between resting vagal‐related heart rate variability (HRV) parameters and heart rate (HR) with resting metabolic rate (RMR) and respiratory exchange ratio (RER) in young adults. Methods A total of 74 young adults (22 ± 2 years old, 51 women) were included in this cross‐sectional study. HRV was...

Introduction Patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) have a higher risk of developing cognitive impairment and mental health disorders compared to the general population. Physical exercise might improve their brain health. The overall goal of the HEART-BRAIN randomized controlled trial (RCT) is to investigate the effects of different types of e...

Stroke is the leading cause of disability and the second cause of death worldwide. The increasing burden of stroke underscores the importance of optimising rehabilitation protocols. Virtual reality (VR) can improve poststroke prognosis. A VR software combining gamification, full immersion and stroke specificity (ie, the Development and validation o...

Background. The main purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) intervention in the context of moderate alcohol consumption on cognitive performance in healthy young adults. Methods. We conducted a 10-week HIIT program along with four types of beverages with/without alcohol content. A total of 75...

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a time-efficient strategy to improve fitness and performance. Whereas the multiple and negative effects of high intake of alcohol have been widely studied, the effect of moderate alcohol doses after exercise is not clear, and it is currently under debate. For that, a total of 80 young healthy adults are st...

BACKGROUND While surgery is commonly regarded as the primary curative treatment for colorectal cancer, it could potentially be associated with postoperative morbidity and mortality. OBJECTIVE Determining the pooled effect of exercise and multidisciplinary prehabilitation interventions on postoperative hospital length of stay and functional capacit...

Introduction Patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), also called coronary heart disease, have a higher risk of developing cognitive impairment and mental health disorders compared to the general population. There is a need to identify effective and sustainable strategies to improve brain health in individuals with CAD, in which physical exerci...

Purpose: In this study we evaluated the reliability of blood lactate levels (BLa), energy expenditure and substrate utilization during prolonged exercise at the intensity that elicits maximal fat oxidation (FATmax). Furthermore, we investigated the accuracy of a single graded exercise test (GXT) for predicting energy metabolism at FATmax. Methods:...

Introduction Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease is a major public health problem considering its high prevalence and its strong association with extrahepatic diseases. Implementing strategies based on an intermittent fasting approach and supervised exercise may mitigate the risks. This study aims to investigate the effects of...

Purpose To examine the association of the single nucleotide polymorphism A1470T in the SLC16A1 gene with blood lactate accumulation during a graded exercise test and its associated metaboreflex. Methods Forty-six Latin-American men (Age: 27 ± 6 years; Body fat: 17.5 ± 4.7%) performed a graded exercise test on a treadmill for the assessment of maxi...

Vitamin D deficiency is related to metabolic disturbances. Indeed, a poor vitamin D status has been usually detected in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, the relationship between vitamin D and CVD risk factors in young adults remains controversial at present. This study aimed to examine the association between circulating 25-hydr...

The shed form of the Klotho protein (S-Klotho) is considered a biomarker of longevity, but it is still unknown whether the levels are related to heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV); both of them greatly influenced by the ageing process, physical fitness, exercise, and health status. This study aimed (i) to investigate the association b...

The intra-assessment resting metabolic rate variability is related to cardiometabolic health, as suggested by previous literature. We studied whether that variability (expressed as coefficient of variation [CV; %]) for oxygen consumption (VO2), carbon dioxide production (VCO2), respiratory exchange ratio (RER), and resting energy expenditure (REE)...

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease linked to high cardiovascular risk. To reach an adequate body composition status while maintaining proper dietary habits are effective strategies for reducing cardiovascular risk, both being potentially modified through exercise. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a 12-week...

We aimed to investigate the effect of three types of exercise interventions on memory (i.e., immediate memory (IM), long‐term memory (LTM), and recognition). We also investigated whether exercise‐induced changes in circulating S‐Klotho and 1,25‐dihydroxivitamin D (1,25(OH)2D) levels were related to those observed in memory in healthy middle‐aged se...

Concurrent training has been postulated as an appropriate time‐efficient strategy to improve physical fitness, yet whether the exercise‐induced adaptations are similar in men and women is unknown. An unblinded randomized controlled trial was conducted to investigate sex‐specific dose–response effects of a 24‐week supervised concurrent exercise trai...

Purpose Caffeine is a stimulant with well-recognized performance and metabolic benefits, however, there is a lack of studies investigating the time-of-day influence in the properties of caffeine to enhance fat oxidation in women. Thus, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of the time of the day on the effect of caffeine on the...

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of a 24-week aerobic + resistance training programs at moderate versus vigorous intensity on body composition, and the persistence of the changes after a 10-month free-living period, in young untrained adults. This report is based on a secondary analysis from the activating brown adipose tissue thro...

Aims: To examine whether nut consumption was associated with insulin resistance and blood lipid parameters in a sample of young healthy adults. Material and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 306 first-year students (aged 18-30 years) from the University of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain. Biochemical variables related to insulin...

Background Exercise training performed at maximal fat oxidation (FATmax) is an efficient non-pharmacological approach for the management of obesity and its related cardio-metabolic disorders. Objectives Therefore, this work aimed to provide exercise intensity guidelines and training volume recommendations for maximizing fat oxidation in patients w...

Aim Previous evidence suggest that a sexual dimorphism in exercise fat oxidation and adipokines levels may explain a lower risk of cardio-metabolic disorders in women. Therefore, we investigated the role of sex in the relationship between adipokines levels, maximal fat oxidation (MFO) during exercise and insulin resistance. Methods Fifty young adu...

Capsinoids may exert ergogenic effects on resistance exercises. However, the acute effects of capsinoids on neuromuscular performance in humans are unknown. Here, we aimed to investigate the acute effects of dihydrocapsiate on lower- and upper-body neuromuscular performance parameters in resistance-trained individuals. 25 young adults (n=6 women; a...

Exosome release varies depending on the physiological state of the cell, so they could play a fundamental role in obesity, the biggest pandemic in today's societies. The beneficial effects that physical activity has both on weight and cardiovascular parameters may be mediated by exosomes released in response to exercise. Thus, we aimed (I) to study...

Background and aims: Accomplishing a high day-to-day reproducibility is important to detect changes in resting metabolic rate (RMR) and respiratory exchange ratio (RER) that may be produced after an intervention or for monitoring patients' metabolism over time. We aimed to analyze: (i) the influence of different methods for selecting indirect calo...

Objectives: Cardiorespiratory fitness and fatness indicators have been related to heart rate variability (HRV) parameters. The Fit-Fat Index (FFI) is a single index combining cardiorespiratory fitness and fatness indicators. To the best of our knowledge, no studies have previously analyzed whether FFI are related to cardiac autonomic nervous syste...

Objective: Impaired daily functioning and psychiatric symptoms are highly prevalent in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA); however, the effects of weight loss and lifestyle interventions on these symptoms remain uncertain. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of an interdisciplinary weight loss and lifestyle intervention on impaired functioning, ps...

Objective: Phenylcapsaicin (PC) is a new capsaicin analog which has exhibited a higher bioavailability. This sudy assessed the effects of a low dose (LD) of 0.625 mg and a high dose (HD) of 2.5 mg of PC on aerobic capacity, substrate oxidation, energy metabolism and exercise physiological variables in young males. Materials and methods: Seventeen a...

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1174103.].

Purpose To investigate the association of meal timing with body composition and cardiometabolic risk factors in young adults. Methods In this cross-sectional study participated 118 young adults (82 women; 22 ± 2 years old; BMI: 25.1 ± 4.6 kg/m²). Meal timing was determined via three non-consecutive 24-h dietary recalls. Sleep outcomes were objecti...

Background and aim Omega-6 and omega-3 oxylipins may be surrogate markers of systemic inflammation, which is one of the triggers for the development of cardiometabolic disorders. Here, we investigated the relationship between plasma levels of omega-6 and omega-3 oxylipins with body composition and cardiometabolic risk factors in middle-aged adults....

Whole-Body Electromyostimulation (WB-EMS) is a training technology that enables simultaneous stimulation of all the main muscle groups with a specific impulse intensity for each electrode. The corresponding time-efficiency and joint-friendliness of WB-EMS may be particularly attractive for people unable or unmotivated to conduct (intense) conventio...

Objectives: To compare the effect of a single bout of morning vs. evening exercise on cardiovascular risk factors in adults. Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: A systematic search of studies was conducted using PubMed and Web of Science from inception to June 2022. Selected studies accomplished the following criteria: crosso...

Regular exercise at the intensity matching maximal fat oxidation (FATmax) has been proposed as a key element in both athletes and clinical populations when aiming to enhance the body's ability to oxidize fat. In order to allow a more standardized and tailored training approach, the connection between FATmax and the individual aerobic thresholds (Ae...

Background: Prior evidence suggests that capsinoids ingestion may increase resting energy expenditure (EE) and fat oxidation (FATox), yet whether they can modulate those parameters during exercise conditions remains poorly understood. We hypothesized that dihydrocapsiate (DHC) ingestion would increase EE and specifically FATox during an acute bout...

p-Synephrine is deemed a safe and effective substance to increase fat utilization during exercise of low-to-moderate intensity in men but not in women. Additionally, the existence of a diurnal variation in substrate utilization has been documented during exercise with enhanced fat oxidation in the evening compared with early morning. However, it re...

Sleep quality plays an important role in the modulation of several aging markers. This influence could be explained by aging-induced hormonal changes. Indeed, poor sleep quality has been associated with the development of several endocrine-related health complications. This study examined the relationship of both subjective and objective sleep quan...

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is currently considered one of the most common and lethal types of tumors. Nutrition is of notorious relevance, given its influence in CRC prevention and treatment. This systematic review aimed to revise and update the state of knowledge regarding the potential role of vitamin D and calcium as key factors involved in the pre...

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of 3 and 6 mg of caffeine per kg of body mass (mg/kg) on whole-body substrate oxidation during an incremental cycling exercise test in healthy active women. Using a double-blind placebo-controlled counterbalanced experimental design, 14 subjects performed three identical exercise trials after the...

This study aimed to explore if the effects of caffeine intake on resistance exercise and jumping performance are moderated by training status. We included ten resistance-trained and ten recreationally active males in a randomized, double-blind, crossover study. Participants were categorized into groups according to their resistance to training expe...

ONCOFIT is a randomized clinical trial with a two-arm parallel design aimed at determining the influence of a multidisciplinary Prehabilitation and Postoperative Program (PPP) on post-surgery complications in patients undergoing resection of colon cancer. This intervention will include supervised physical exercise, dietary behavior change, and psyc...

p-Synephrine is the principal alkaloid of bitter orange (Citrus aurantium). Several recent investigations have found that the intake of 2-3 mg/kg of p-synephrine raises fat oxidation rate during exercise of low-to-moderate intensity. However, these investigations have been carried out only with samples of male participants or mixed men/women sample...

Exercise modulates both brown adipose tissue (BAT) metabolism and white adipose tissue (WAT) browning in murine models. Whether this is true in humans, however, has remained unknown. An unblinded randomized controlled trial (ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT02365129) was therefore conducted to study the effects of a 24-week supervised exercise interventio...

Aim Oral caffeine intake has been deemed as an effective supplementation strategy to enhance fat oxidation during aerobic exercise with a steady-state intensity. However, in real exercise scenarios, individuals habitually train with autoregulation of exercise intensity. This study aimed to analyze the effect of oral caffeine intake during self-pace...

Introduction Vitamin D – concretely its active form 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D) – maintains several physiological processes. Oxylipins are oxidized lipids derived from ω-6 and ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids involved in inflammation. Little is known about the association of 1,25(OH)2D with inflammatory parameters in middle-aged populations...

The effects of the different electrical frequencies of whole-body electrical stimulation (WB-EMS) on energy expenditure (EE) and the respiratory exchange ratio (RER) remain poorly understood. This study aimed to determine the effects of different WB-EMS electrical frequencies on EE and the RER during supine resting and uphill walking. A total of 10...

Purpose The effect of caffeine to enhance fat utilisation as fuel for submaximal aerobic exercise is well established. However, it is unknown whether this effect is dose dependent. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of 3 and 6 mg of caffeine per kg of body mass (mg/kg) on whole-body substrate oxidation during an incremental cycling...

Purpose The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between nut consumption and academic performance in Spanish adolescents and to explore the role of sociodemographic, anthropometric, and lifestyle covariates on this association. Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out using a food frequency questionnaire for estimating nut cons...

The maximal fat oxidation rate (MFO) assessed during a graded exercise test is a remarkable physiological indicator associated with metabolic flexibility, body weight loss and endurance performance. The present review considers existing biomarkers related to MFO, highlighting the validity of maximal oxygen uptake and free fatty acid availability fo...

Purpose This study aimed to investigate the influence of different exercise training modalities on heart rate variability (HRV) in sedentary middle-aged adults; and to study whether changes in health-related outcomes (i.e., body composition and cardiometabolic risk) are associated with those hypothetical HRV changes in sedentary middle-aged adults....

This study investigated the effects of an eight-week interdisciplinary weight loss and lifestyle intervention on dietary behavior in men who were overweight/had obesity and moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). It was based on data from INTERAPNEA (ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT03851653); a randomized clinical trial conducted from April 201...

Soriano, MA, Jiménez-Ormeño, E, Amaro-Gahete, FJ, Haff, GG, and Comfort, P. How does lower-body and upper-body strength relate to maximum split jerk performance? J Strength Cond Res 36(8): 2102-2107, 2022-The aims of this study were to (I) determine the relationships between the maximum dynamic strength of the upper and lower body, measured by over...

Background and Aims Resting heart rate variability (HRV) and maximal fat oxidation (MFO) during exercise are both considered as a non-invasive biomarkers for early detection of cardiovascular risk factors. Thus, this study aimed to analyze the relationship between resting HRV parameters and MFO during exercise and the intensity of exercise that eli...

Over the past two decades, scientists have attempted to evaluate whether the point of maximal fat oxidation (FATmax) and the aerobic threshold (AerT) are connected. The existence of such a relationship would allow a more tailored training approach for athletes while improving the efficacy of individualized exercise prescriptions when treating numer...

Background Both exercise and polypills are recommended treatments to improve the blood-lipid profile.Objective The aim of this study was to compare head-to-head the effectiveness of polypill and exercise strategies in improving the blood-lipid profile in high-risk cardiovascular patients.Methods We performed an electronic search in Web of Science,...