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Physical Health

Chapter · June 2019

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_2783-1

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Physical Health performance capacity or enhance training adapta-

tions (Kerksick et al. 2018).
Alicia Garcia-Falgueras
Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience,
Amsterdam, The Netherlands Introduction

Physical health is an individual and subjective

dimension of each person, that can be reach by
Synonyms
many different ways and they all are responsibility
of the grown up person. Thus it implies an active
Sports; Physical activities; Welfare; Wellbeing;
approach. Consequently spectators or audiences
Immune system; Homeostasis; Cardiovascular
of sports who watch a sportive competition but do
metabolism; Balance; Mood
not participate themselves with any physical
activity are not improving their physical health.
Competition in sport is a necessary but not suffi-
Definition cient component to carry on with physical activi-
ties, because a systematic personal training and
Physical health is a metabolic and cognitive state working out is a type of sport or physical activity
that involves the absence of any disease and it is which also achieves well-being similar as com-
obtained via sports, nutrition, and/or ergogenic petitive team sports (for review see Garcia-
aids that enable persons to have a suitable life Falgueras 2015).
with maximum functionality. Sports is defined as
all forms of competitive physical activity, through
causal or organized participation in teams, which Physical Activity for Mood,
aims to maintain or improve human physical Cardiovascular Health and Body
abilities and skills, usually offering entertainment Concept
to participants and cheerfulness to winners (for
review see Garcia-Falgueras 2015). Ergogenic Cardiovascular exercises practiced regularly,
aid is defined by the American governmental which are aimed at increasing oxygen in the
regulation and oversight as any training tech- blood and changing the heart rhythm for higher
nique, mechanical device, nutritional ingredient metabolic demands (aerobic exercises), have been
or practice, pharmacological method or psycho- proved to improve cognitive functions and to have
logical technique that can improve exercise a positive effect on mental health and
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019
T. K. Shackelford, V. A. Weekes-Shackelford (eds.), Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_2783-1
2 Physical Health

psychological well-being. Both individual sports Even in minority groups, such as homeless
such as fitness, jogging, weight lifting, equestrian, people, in extreme social isolation conditions of
footing, distance running, cycling, swimming, risks and weakness (i.e., alcohol and drugs abuse,
tennis, wrestling, and team-based sports such as violence, sexual abuses, and infectious diseases),
soccer, football, rugby, etc. are having good sports had a positive effect enabling them in build-
effects over sleeping quality, working memory, ing a new self-identity and starting a new life.
long-term verbal memory, perceptual abilities, After 8 weeks of regular sports and fitness, their
processing speed, cognitive inhibition, and flexi- well-being and reintegration into society were
bility (Gayda et al. 2017; Hartescu et al. 2015; facilitated and improved (Sofija et al. 2018).
Rice et al. 2016). Sedentary behaviors are related But cognitive and other disorders or even
to cardiovascular and other diseases (Celis- severe injuries do also occur in sports, elite ath-
Morales et al. 2018). Gender and age are variables letes being the higher risk group: head injuries,
of importance in order to choose which sport to concussions, limb injuries, including mental ill-
practice (Eime et al. 2016). There are evidences health and substance use that can be attributed to
that physical activity can create a better state for the intense mental and physical demands of higher
the person, because it is related to lower choles- levels of competition (Rice et al. 2016). The vul-
terol levels, blood pressure, and blood lipids (for nerability of physical injuries and risks for health
review see Ogden 2010). Exercises have been are bigger for athletes involved in sports with
used for the treatment of obesity, weight loss, a particular lean body-shape demand, such as
and weigh maintenance, because physical activ- ballerinas and gymnasts among female athletes.
ity, increase of strength and fitness provide good A collaborative team effort is required by different
benefits at reducing sedentary behaviors (Celis- professional staff, such as medicine practitioners,
Morales et al. 2018; Ogden 2010). With increase psychiatrists, psychologists, etc., to care for the
in physical activity and functions of the cardio- athletes’ mental and physical health and assis-
vascular system, a reduction in cardiovascular tance in overcoming barriers and stigmas in
diseases is obtained (Zheng et al. 2014) and reg- order to prevent damages, which are linked to
ular exercise has been associated with a range of the achievements in their chosen careers (Rice
public health benefits (Hartescu et al. 2015). et al. 2016).
Open air exercise practices had significant The endorphins hypothesis is the most popular
good effects on sleep quality for middle-aged explanation as to how a physical mechanism
and older people (Hartescu et al. 2015), perhaps underlies the benefits of sports. In the brain, the
because of the sun light exposure. It was proved in hypothalamus produces endorphins in the form of
a group of older adults that the amount of hours peptides and the pituitary gland releases them into
spent outside of the home was associated with blood circulation. Later, these endorphins act on
better cognitive functions and improved physical their own receptors. It has been demonstrated
and emotional abilities (Petersen et al. 2015). This in vivo (MRI) that professional runners release
study was performed during the period of one year endogenous opioids in the fronto limbic areas of
and longitudinal data checked confirming that the brain after a sustained and intense physical
leaving home requires significant cognitive func- exercise practice. That release is, in fact, closely
tions and resources: posture, way finding, naviga- correlated with perceived subjective euphoria (for
tion skills, gait, etc. Moreover, biodiversity and review see Garcia-Falgueras 2015).
contact with the natural environment (parklands Anaerobic sports, such as Tai Chi, Yoga, or
with scattered shrubs and trees) and a number of Pilates, have been shown to improve physical
different species perceived (but no spiders or and mental health outcomes, such as propriocep-
snakes which might raise phobias), provide many tion, balance ability, flexibility, self-esteem,
psychological and health benefits (van Heezik and and in general, quality of life and sleep, through
Brymer 2018). a controlled conscious diaphragmatic breathing
Physical Health 3

for achieving body relaxation and a calmness of and sportive people. Exercise and other vital
mind (Garcia-Falgueras 2016; Hartescu et al. activities require extra energy and resource con-
2015; Zheng et al. 2014). sumption; hence, many industries and companies
are working on this goal to help sportive and
active people. For instance, creatine supplemen-
Nutrients and Sports tation intake, one of the most popular nutritional
ergogenic aids for athletes, has been proved to
Healthy eating has been recommended in relative have benefits in exercise, sport, and medicine
quantities and appropriate consumption of food of for postexercise recovery, injury prevention, and
different groups. They are: (1) fruit and vegeta- thermoregulation (Kreider et al. 2017). Creatine is
bles; (2) bread, pasta, other cereals, and potatoes; naturally found in meat and seafood, not always
(3) meat, fish, and alternatives; (4) milk and dairy available in the right proportion for all those
products; and (5) fatty and sugary foods (Ogden that practice sports. In animal experiments, it
2010). However, there are many different combi- was tested and found that 5 days of creatine
nations of these ingredients and kitchens in almost monohydrate administration might have a
all homes have their very own personal and neuroprotective effect, ameliorating the extent
subjective concept of healthy food. There seems of cortical damage. Its positive effects over
to be consensus on the effect of culture, ethnic specific diseases such as Huntington’s, Parkinson,
group, history, and personal traits on diet and food and other neuromuscular dystrophies or diseases
consumption. According to Rozin (1980), “there are currently under experimental evaluation
is no doubt that the best predictor of the food (Kreider et al. 2017). Caffeine, beta-alanine,
preferences, habits and attitudes of any particular aminoacids, and nitric oxide agent in combination
human would be information about his ethnic have been used for athletes to get synergistic
group. . ... rather than any biological measure effects in their intensity exercise performance
that one might imagine” (for revision see Ogden and training adaptation. However, solid experi-
2010). mental conclusions in humans regarding gender
Several aspects do have a role in eating behav- difference in supplementation effects are prema-
ior: the hedonic, cognitive, and homeostatic ture and more robust controlled studies are
systems are involved in food intake behavior. required (Harty et al. 2018).
In obese people, the hedonic side is predominant Proteins intake is also a very popular nutritional
(Hopkins et al. 2016; Ogden 2010). In metabolism ergogenic aid for athletes and was initially
and the body, satiety signals act as a cascade recommended inside a range of grams per day
(Cholecystokinin- CCK; Glucagon-like-peptide- depending on weight and age (children, adoles-
GLP-1; Peptide YY3–36 –PYY; Amylin). These cents, or adults) (Kreider et al. 2017). Muscular
substances are received and perceived in a cross- temporal recovery in its function is improved
talk interaction by balancing metabolisms to stop after systematic whey protein supplementation.
the eating behavior (Hopkins et al. 2016). Obesity Proteins enhance strength and muscle mass in
can be defined depending on the waist circumfer- resistance training (isometric, isokinetic, torque or
ence; >88 cm in women and >102 cm in men is weight lifting, or isoinertial maximal voluntary
the measurement for obesity (Celis-Morales et al. contraction) and facilitate restoration of contractile
2018). However, this delicate cascade balance and function (Davies et al. 2018). Experimental com-
metabolic and psychological equilibrium might parison reported beneficial effects on the muscle
be altered for extreme diets, or long periods of function for the group who took proteins compared
imposed starvation (Polivy 1996). with the control who did not however, it is surpris-
In recent years, an increased number of studies ing that only eight high-quality studies have been
and publications have been done about supple- published about protein and its effects, over a
ments and complementary nutrients for athletes period of 10 years (Davies et al. 2018).
4 Physical Health

On the other hand, Magnesium (Mg), which Davies, R. W., Carson, B. P., & Jakeman, P. M. (2018). The
is an essential mineral, is also good to enhance effect of whey protein supplementation on the temporal
recovery of muscle function following resistance train-
exercise performance. Animal studies have pro- ing: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrients,
ved Mg might improve exercise performance 10, pii: E221.
because of facilitation of the glucose availability Eime, R. M., Harvey, J. T., Charity, M. J., & Payne, W. R.
in the blood for brain, muscle, and heart. Glucose (2016). Population levels of sport participation: Impli-
cations for sport policy. BMC Public Health, 16, 752.
is converted to pyruvate during aerobic exercise Garcia-Falgueras, A. (2015). Psychological benefits of
and it is reduced to lactate during anaerobic exer- sports and physical activities. British Journal of
cise. Lactate might induce muscle fatigue or laces, Education, Society and Behavioral Science, 11, 1–7.
and Mg reduces or delays lactate accumulation Garcia-Falgueras, A. (2016). An introduction to proprio-
ception concept in Pilates and Yoga. British Journal of
in the muscle. It also participates in energy metab- Medicine and Medical Research, 15, 1–6.
olism, assisting muscle contraction and relaxation Gayda, M., Lapierre, G., Dupuy, O., Fraser, S., Bherer, L.,
for muscle tissue recovery. In natural food it is Juneau, M., Gremeaux, V., & Nigam, A. (2017).
found in nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables, and whole Cardiovascular and cerebral hemodynamics during
exercise and recovery in obese individuals as a function
grains. Mg is widely recommended to active and of their fitness status. Physiological Reports, 5, pii:
physical competitive athletes and for long-term e13321.
strenuous exercise (Zhang et al. 2017). Hartescu, I., Morgan, K., & Stevinson, C. D. (2015). Sleep
quality and recommended levels of physical activity in
older people. Journal of Aging and Physical Activity,
24, 201–206.
Conclusion Harty, P. S., Zabriskie, H. A., Erickson, J. L.,
Molling, P. E., Kerksick, C. M., & Jagim, A. R.
The state of physical health, as the absence of (2018). Multi-ingredient pre-workout supplements,
safety implications, and performance outcomes:
disease, is reached through different cognitive A brief review. Journal of the International Society of
and metabolic ways. Sports, exercise, and physi- Sports Nutrition, 15, 41.
cal activities help to maintain the body in all its Hopkins, M., Blundell, J., Halford, J., King, N., &
functions while nutrition, food, and supplements Finlayson, G. (2016). The regulation of food intake
in humans. In L. J. De Groot, G. Chrousos,
give the energy and compounds required to proper K. Dungan, K. R. Feingold, A. Grossman,
real performance capacities or enhance training J. M. Hershman, C. Koch, M. Korbonits,
adaptations. In this short chapter, we analyzed R. McLachlan, M. New, J. Purnell, R. Rebar,
briefly some of the most interesting topics in the F. Singer, & A. Vinik (Eds.), Endotext. South
Dartmouth: MDText.com, Inc.
field. Kerksick, C. M., Wilborn, C. D., Roberts, M. D., Smith-
Ryan, A., Kleiner, S. M., Jäger, R., Collins, R.,
Acknowledgments We thank Prof. Dr. D. F. Swaab Cooke, M., Davis, J. N., Galvan, E., Greenwood, M.,
because of his example in the method of researching and Lowery, L. M., Wildman, R., Antonio, J., &
studying. Also to Dr. Jenneke Kruisbrink for her kindly Kreider, R. B. (2018). ISSN exercise & sports nutrition
scientific literature resource provision. We would like to review update: Research & recommendations. Journal
thank the anonymous reviewer who suggested language of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 15, 38.
style improvements. Kreider, R. B., Kalman, D. S., Antonio, J.,
Ziegenfuss, T. N., Wildman, R., Collins, R.,
Candow, D. G., Kleiner, S. M., Almada, A. L., &
Lopez, H. L. (2017). International Society of Sports
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