Procedures
PBC
Participants performed eight testing sessions on eight different occasions, in a period no longer than three weeks between the first and last visit (with at least 48 h between two visits). Visits were carried in a private laboratory. All the experimental procedures were performed in an isolated and air-conditioned room, at the constant temperature of 21 ± 1°C and at a relative humidity of 40–50%. Before each visit, participants were instructed to sleep for at least 8 h, refrain from the consumption of alcohol and caffeine, and avoid any vigorous exercise for the 24-h preceding the testing sessions. Each participant carried out the visits individually and at the same time of day (within 1 h period, between 7:30 and 10:30).During visit 1, participants’ body weight and height were measured. Afterwards, they familiarized with the procedures employed for the testing sessions, i.e. running on the treadmill used for the study (Excite Treadmill, Technogym, Cesena, Italy) for at least 20 min wearing a portable gas exchange system in breath-by-breath mode (Cosmed K5, Cosmed, Rome, Italy). Treadmill speed was validated for each stage using an odometer (Stanley, Milano, Italy) to confirm that it was the one declared by the manufacturer. During visit 2, participants completed an incremental exercise test to determine their maximal oxygen uptake (VOAfter the first two preliminary visits, participants carried out randomly the three testing sessions, preceded either by a PBC or a control condition (six sessions in total, all randomized, 