91136 - Biochemistry of Exercise and Sport

Learning outcomes

The course presents the biochemical processes associated with exercise. The student should understand the molecular basis of training and exercise as well as the biochemistry of the organism adaptions responsible of performance enhancement and associated to the beneficial effect of exercise on human health.

Course contents

Exercise metabolism and bioenergetics

Metabolic biochemistry of exercise.

Integrated catabolism of carbohydrates and lipids. Amino acid metabolism.

Bioenergetic of exercise. Aerobic endurance exercise. Anaerobic resistance exercise.

Cardiac metabolism.

Gender differences.

Integrated Biochemistry of exercise

Biochemistry of creatine, carnitine, carnosine, ketone bodies.

Effect of exercise on the levels of circulating hormones and hormone-like effectors.

Muscle as an endocrine tissue: Myokines

  Biochemical adaptions in training

Biochemical mechanisms in training. The role of stress in muscle adaption. Metabolic adaption following aerobic or anaerobic training.

Biochemical adaptions to exercise. Sprint training and  endurance training.

The regulation of the muscle mass. Biochemistry of muscle hypertrophy.

Biomarkers of physical activity

Meaning of the clinical determination of specific molecules: metabolites, proteins, hormones, stress markers.

Readings/Bibliography

Di Giulio, Fiorilli, Stefanelli. BIOCHIMICA PER LE SCIENZE MOTORIE. Casa editrice Ambrosiana, 2011

Maughan, Gleeson, Greenhaff, Biochemistry of exercise and training. Oxford University Press, 2000

Teaching methods

Lectures and seminars on selected topics.

Assessment methods

The learning assessment is conducted through a written final examination at the end of lessons (25 multiple choice questions plus five specific questions).

Teaching tools

The teaching material presented at the lectures is available as electronic format in the UniBO website in the VIRTUALE repository

Office hours

See the website of Claudio Stefanelli