Kurt A. Escobar

• PhD
• Associate Professor of Exercise Physiology/Co-Director of Physiology of EXercise and Sport (PEXS) Lab at California State University, Long Beach

Accumulation of dysfunctional and damaged cellular proteins and organelles occurs during aging, resulting in a disruption of cellular homeostasis and progressive degen-eration and increases the risk of cell death. Moderating the accrual of these defunct components is likely a key in the promotion of longevity. While exercise is known to promote hea...

Autophagy is an evolutionary conserved cellular degradation system that underlies the positive effects of exercise. Currently, few human data exist investigating the autophagic response to exercise including the response to high-intensity interval training (HIIT), response in divergent tissues, and if sex differences exist. The purpose of this stud...

Muscle mass is balanced between hypertrophy and atrophy by cellular processes, including activation of the Akt-mTOR signaling cascade. Stressors apart from exercise and nutrition, such as heat stress, can stimulate the heat shock protein A (HSPA) and C (HSPC) families alongside hypertrophic signaling factors and muscle growth. The effects of heat s...

Purpose Autophagy and heat shock protein (HSP) response are proteostatic systems involved in the acute and adaptive responses to exercise. These systems may upregulate sequentially following cellular stress including acute exercise, however, currently few data exist in humans. This study investigated the autophagic and HSP responses to acute intens...

Diet and exercise will help you live longer" is a well-known meme. While often taken for granted, its foundations span back to our evolutionary environment and its effects extend into our intracellular environment. Humans evolved under conditions of high physical activity and periodic privation which shaped our genes. During these times of energeti...

Background Obesity presents multifarious etiopathologies with its management being a global challenge. This article presents the first ever report on the impact of spinach thylakoid extract-induced high-intensity functional training (HIFT) on obesity management via regulating the levels of novel adipokine, C1q/TNF-related Protein-12 (CTRP-12), furi...

Objective: Obesity is associated with an exacerbated metabolic condition that is mediated through impairing balance in the secretion of some adipo-myokines. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to explore the impact of astaxanthin supplementation in conjunction with a 12-week CrossFit training regimen on some selected adipo-myokines, i...

Background Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is a thermogenic tissue that uncouples oxidative phosphorylation from ATP synthesis and increases energy expenditure via non-shivering thermogenesis in mammals. Cold exposure and exercise have been shown to increase BAT and browning of white adipose tissue (WAT) in mice. This study aimed to determine whether th...

Environmental hypoxia as a result of decreased barometric pressure upon ascent to high altitudes (>2,500 m) presents increased physiological demands com-pared with low altitudes, or normoxic environments. Competitive athletes, mountaineers, wildland firefighters, military personnel, miners, and outdoor enthusiasts commonly participate in, or are ex...

This study investigated the combined effects of 12 weeks of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and spirulina supplementation on adipokine levels, insulin resistance, anthropometric indices, and cardiorespiratory fitness in 44 obese males (aged 25–40 years). The participants were randomly assigned to one of four groups: control (CG), supplement...

Adiposity, a state characterized by excessive accumulation of body fat, is closely linked to metabolic complications and the secretion of specific adipokines. This study explores the potential of exercise and Spirulina supplementation to mitigate these complications and modulate adipokine release associated with obesity. The primary objective of th...

Regular physical activity and the use of nutritional supplements, including antioxidants, are recognized as efficacious approaches for the prevention and mitigation of obesity-related complications. This study investigated the effects of 12 weeks of CrossFit training combined with astaxanthin (ASX) supplementation on some plasma adipokines in males...

Military activities often involve high-intensity exercise that can disrupt antioxidant capacity. We investigated the effects of oregano supplementation on muscle damage, oxidative stress, and plasma antioxidant markers of soldiers performing the army combat readiness test (ACRT). Twenty-four healthy male soldiers (age: 24 ± 3 years, height: 167 ± 1...

Background Exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) commonly occurs following intense resistance exercise and is associated with decrements in exercise performance and delayed muscle recovery. Thus, practical methods to attenuate EIMD would prove useful to both training and athletic populations. Omega-3 (n-3) supplementation has been shown to mitigate...

Context Numerous chronic conditions including obesity exhibit autophagic dysfunction. Association of immune cell autophagic marker regulation by body fat percentage (%BF) is unknown. Objective Investigate autophagy activity in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of adults with distinct %BFs and obesity-related circulating inflammatory marke...

Fish oils (FOs) are rich in omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, which have been purported to enhance recovery of muscular performance and reduce soreness post-exercise. However, the most effective FO dose for optimizing recovery remains unclear. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the effect of FO supplementation dosing on...

International Journal of Exercise Science 13(1): 714-722, 2020. The purpose of this study was to compare the muscle activation of the scapula, leg, and trunk among the front squat (FS), overhead squat (OHS), back extension (BE) and plank (PL). Seven recreationally trained men (age: 28 ± 3.6 years, body mass: 92 ± 26.1 kg, height: 175 ± 5.3 cm, 3-RM...

Objective: Examine the physical fitness of career firefighters and compare their results to normative data and suggested standards for their profession. Methods: Eighty firefighters completed a body composition analysis, maximal aerobic capacity (VO2max) test, and fitness testing battery, with results compared with normative value tables. Maxima...

Background: Aerobic exercise has been shown to impart anti-inflammatory effects partly through increased secretion of interleukin-6 (IL-6). Still unclear, however, is whether resistance exercise (RE) also enhances IL-6 secretion. Objective: The present study aimed to examine the effect of RE, performed at varying volume loads (VL), on plasma IL-6....

Autophagy is an evolutionary conserved cellular degradation system implicated in maintaining health and promoting longevity. Few human data exist investigating the autophagic response to exercise; however, acute moderate-intensity, continuous exercise (MICT) has been shown to stimulate autophagy in skeletal muscle. Presently, it is unknown whether...

This study investigated the effect of branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) supplementation on recovery from eccentric exercise. Twenty males ingested either a BCAA supplement or placebo (PLCB) prior to and following eccentric exercise. Creatine kinase (CK), vertical jump (VJ), maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC), jump squat (JS) and perceive...

Various post-exercise strategies have been proposed to accelerate recovery during periods of training. However, the effects of water immersion (WI) temperature on recovery amid multiple daily exercise bouts are not well investigated. Purpose: To evaluate the effects of cold and warm water immersion temperatures between acute exercise bouts vs. no...

CrossFit is a physically and metabolically-demanding training mode increasing in popularity among recreational athletes. Presently, however, scarce evidence is available documenting its energetic profile. This study investigated the metabolic characteristics of a CrossFit training bout as measured by expired gases and blood lactate. Eleven females...

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of 6 weeks of BA Supplementation on anaerobic performance measures in collegiate rugby players

Substantial research has been completed examining the impact of carbohydrate (CHO) intake on endurance exercise, whereas its role in resistance-based exercise performance, adaptation and cell signalling has yet to be fully characterised. This empirical shortcoming has precluded the ability to establish specific CHO recommendations for resistance ex...

CrossFit is a metabolically demanding strength and conditioning method which performance may benefit from a carbohydrate (CHO)-rich diet. This study investigated the effect of three consecutive days of high CHO intake on CrossFit performance and corresponding metabolically -related variables in strength trained individuals. Eighteen subjects with a...

Effects of MusclePharm Assault BlackTM on lower extremity spinal excitability and postactivation potentiation: A pilot study Brian Wallace*, Haley Bergstrom, Kelly Wallace Department of Kinesiology and Health Promotion, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA Email: brian.wallace@uky.edu; brian.wallace@northern.edu Background: Caffeine h...

A NUMBER OF KEY CONSIDERATIONS EXIST REGARDING PROTEIN, INCLUDING OVERT REQUIREMENTS, QUALITY, AND DOSING. IN ADDITION, ATHLETES AND RESEARCHERS HAVE CLOSELY EXAMINED THE IMPACT OF PROTEIN AND NUTRIENT TIMING ON ACUTE AND PROLONGED ADAPTATIONS TO DIFFERENT TYPES OF EXERCISE WITH MIXED RESULTS. THE PATTERN OF MEAL AND PROTEIN CONSUMPTION SEEMS TO EX...

PROTEIN, A KEY MACRONUTRIENT, IS NEEDED BY THE BODY TO REPAIR AND BUILD NEW CELLULAR STRUCTURES. EXERCISING INDIVIDUALS PARTICIPATING IN BOTH AEROBIC AND ANAEROBIC ACTIVITIES REQUIRE GREATER AMOUNTS OF PROTEIN (1.2–1.6 G·KG−1·D−1) IN THEIR DIET. PROTEIN QUALITY IS EVALUATED PRIMARILY BY ESSENTIAL AMINO ACID CONTENT (8–12 G) AND DIGESTIBILITY CORREC...