Effects of G-trainer, cycle ergometry, and stretching on physiological and psychological recovery from endurance exercise.

The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of 3 treatment modes (Anti-Gravity Treadmill [G-trainer], stationary cycling [CompuTrainer], and static stretching) on the physiological and psychological recovery after an acute bout of exhaustive exercise. In a crossover design, 12 aerobically trained men (21.3 ± 2.3 years, 72.1 ± 8.1 kg, 178.4 ± 6.3 cm, (Equation is included in full-text article.): 53.7 ± 6.3 ml·kg·min) completed a 29-km stationary cycling time trial. Immediately after the time trial, subjects completed 30 minutes of G-trainer or CompuTrainer (40% (Equation is included in full-text article.)) or static stretching exercises. A significant time effect was detected for plasma lactate (p = 0.010) and serum cortisol (p = 0.039) after exercise. No treatment or treatment by time interaction was identified for lactate or cortisol, respectively. No main effects for time, treatment, or treatment by time interaction were identified for interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α). No differences were observed among treatments in skeletal muscle peak power output, mean power output, time to peak power, and rate to fatigue at 24 hours postexercise bout. Finally, no significant changes in mood status were observed after exercise and between treatment groups. When compared with stationary cycling and static stretching, exercise recovery performed on the G-trainer was unable to reduce systemic markers of stress and inflammation, blood lactate, or improve anaerobic performance and psychological mood states after an exhaustive bout of endurance exercise. Further research is warranted that includes individualized recovery modalities to create balances between the stresses of training and competition.

Cognitive mapping in persons newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the issues and perceptions of persons newly diagnosed (within last 3 months) with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: In this qualitative study, 16 adults newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes were recruited, who completed a demographic, lifestyle, and diabetes management questionnaire and then were interviewed using cognitive mapping. Participants were asked to write words or phrases that came to mind when thinking about living with diabetes. From these words, common concepts were identified, grouped into clusters, and reduced into categories. Associations were sought between demographics and categories. RESULTS: A total of 260 Post-It notes were written, from which 123 concepts were identified and grouped into 24 clusters. The most frequent concept was eat, and the 3 most frequent clusters were food, negative emotions, and diabetes and its complications. The 9 categories, in order of frequency, were as follows: (1) need to (self-management), (2) concerns, (3) "I'm sick", (4) emotional distress, (5) loss, (6) the no's (limitations), (7) fears and complications, (8) have to (medical management), and (9) coping. Persons with a college education and a later interview date since diagnosis were associated with the concepts in the need to and have to categories. Concepts in the I'm sick category were associated with lower income and Hispanic ethnicity. CONCLUSIONS: Diabetes educators should consider this holistic representation of the issues and perceptions reflected in the common concepts, clusters, and categories expressed by persons newly diagnosed with diabetes.

The effects of IQPLUS Focus on cognitive function, mood and endocrine response before and following acute exercise.

BACKGROUND: Phosphatidylserine (PS) is a phospholipid found in cell membranes of most animals and plants. PS has been shown to reduce stress and increase performance in runners, cyclists and golfers. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a PS containing formulation on cognitive function, mood and endocrine response before and after intense resistance exercise. METHODS: 18 lower body, resistance trained, college aged males ingested 14 days of supplement (IQPLUS Focus, providing 400 mg of soy-derived PS) and a Placebo (PL), in a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled, cross-over manner. Following 14 days of supplementation, participants performed an acute bout of lower body resistance training. Mood (Profile of Mood States, POMS) and cognitive function (Serial Subtraction Test, SST) were measured prior to, 5 minutes after, and 60 minutes after exercise. Venous blood samples were collected prior to, and 5, 15, 25, 40 and 60 minutes after exercise. Blood samples were analyzed for plasma cortisol and testosterone. Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA. RESULTS: PS supplementation significantly reduced the time needed for a correct calculation on the SST by 20% (reduced by 1.27 s per calculation; PL: 6.4 s, PS: 5.13 s; p = 0.001), and reduced the total amount of errors by 39% (PL: 1.28 + .69, PS: .78 + .27, p = 0.53), and increased the amount of correct calculations by 13% (PL: 22.1 + 2.24, PS: 24.9 + 1.52, p = 0.07) prior to or in response to exercise compared to PL. Following exercise, there was no difference in SST scores between PS and PL. There were no significant changes in regards to mood or endocrine response to exercise as a result of PS supplementation. CONCLUSION: PS supplementation significantly increased cognitive function prior to exercise. Improved cognitive function could benefit athletes and non-athletes alike. PS did not appear to affect mood or endocrine response prior to or following resistance exercise.

The influence of a pre-exercise sports drink (PRX) on factors related to maximal aerobic performance.

BACKGROUND: Pre-exercise sports drinks (PRX) are commonly used as ergogenic aids in athletic competitions requiring aerobic power. However, in most cases, claims regarding their effectiveness have not been substantiated. In addition, the ingredients in PRX products must be deemed acceptable by the athletic governing bodies that regulate their use in training and competition. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a modified PRX formulation (known as EM.PACT) from earlier investigations on factors related to maximal aerobic performance during a graded exercise test. The modification consisted of removing creatine to meet the compliance standards set forth by various athletic organizations that regulate the use of nutritional supplements. METHODS: Twenty-nine male and female college students varying in levels of aerobic fitness participated in a randomized crossover administration of PRX (containing 14 g/serving of fructose, medium-chain triglycerides, and amino acids mixed with 8 oz. of water) and placebo (PL) 30 minutes prior to performing a treadmill test with approximately one week separation between the trials. VO2max, maximal heart rate (HR), time to exhaustion (Time), and percentage estimated non-protein fat substrate utilization (FA) during two a priori submaximal stages of a graded exercise testing were evaluated. RESULTS: The VO2max mean value of the PRX trial was significantly greater than the PL trial (P < 0.01). The mean value for Time was also observed to be greater for the PRX trial compared to PL (P < 0.05). Additionally, percentage of FA during submaximal stages of the exercise test was greater for PRX trial in comparison to PL (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The modified PRX formulation utilized in this investigation supports the findings of the previous investigation and its efficacy for enhancing indices of aerobic performance (specifically VO2max, Time, & FA) during graded exercise testing.

The effects of creatine monohydrate supplementation with and without D-pinitol on resistance training adaptations.

Coingestion of D-pinitol with creatine (CR) has been reported to enhance creatine uptake. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether adding D-pinitol to CR affects training adaptations, body composition, whole-body creatine retention, and/or blood safety markers when compared to CR ingestion alone after 4 weeks of resistance training. Twenty-four resistance trained males were randomly assigned in a double-blind manner to creatine + pinitol (CRP) or creatine monohydrate (CR) prior to beginning a supervised 4-week resistance training program. Subjects ingested a typical loading phase (i.e., 20 g/d-1 for 5 days) before ingesting 5 g/d-1 the remaining 23 days. Performance measures were assessed at baseline (T0), week 1 (T1), and week 4 (T2) and included 1 repetition maximum (1RM) bench press (BP), 1RM leg press (LP), isokinetic knee extension, and a 30-second Wingate anaerobic capacity test. Fasting blood and body composition using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) were determined at T1 and T3. Data were analyzed by repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). Creatine retention increased (p < 0.001) in both groups as a result of supplementation but was not different between groups (p > 0.05). Significant improvements in upper- and lower-body strength and body composition occurred in both groups. However, significantly greater increases in lean mass and fat-free mass occurred in the CR group when compared to CRP (p <0.05). Adding D-pinitol to creatine monohydrate does not appear to facilitate further physiological adaptations while resistance training. Creatine monohydrate supplementation helps to improve strength and body composition while resistance training. Data from this study assist in determining the potential role the addition of D-pinitol to creatine may aid in facilitating training adaptations to exercise.

Centralization of symptoms and lumbar range of motion in patients with low back pain.

This quasi-experimental repeated measures study examined the relationship between centralization of symptoms and lumbar flexion and extension range of motion (ROM) in patients with low back pain. Rapid and lasting changes in lumbar ROM have been noted with centralization of symptoms. However, no study has objectively measured the changes in lumbar ROM occurring with centralization. Forty-two adult subjects (mean age, 45.68 years; SD=15.76 years) with low back pain and associated lower extremity symptoms were followed by McKenzie trained physical therapists. Subjects' lumbar ROM was measured at the beginning and end of each patient visit by using double inclinometers, and pain location was documented. Subjects were grouped as 1) centralized, 2) centralizing, or 3) noncentralized for comparisons of symptom and ROM changes. Data were analyzed by using multivariate analysis of variance and one-way analysis of variance. Significance was set at 0.05. A significant difference was found between initial and final mean extension ROM in the centralized and centralizing groups (p=0.003). No significant difference was found in the noncentralized group (p<0.05). Subjects (n=23) who demonstrated a change in pain location during the initial visit also showed a significant (p<0.001) change in extension ROM, whereas patients with no change in pain location (n=19) did not (p=0.848). Lumbar extension ROM increased as centralization occurred.

WITHDRAWN: Glyconutrient Supplementation in Patients with Myasthenia Gravis.

Abstract Background: Numerous anecdotal reports claim that patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) may benefit from glyconutrient (GN) supplementation; however, little if any empirical evidence exists. This pilot study examined the benefits of GN supplementation on various objective and subjective physiologic measures related to MG. Methods: Seven (7) male and 12 female volunteer patients (n = 19) with symptomatic MG, ages 16-84 (54.79 +/- 18.36) were randomly assigned to either a GN intervention group (IG) or control-crossover group (CCG) that began the GN dietary intervention at 6 weeks. Patients were assessed at various time intervals over 52 weeks and included physiologic measures using the Quantitative Myasthenia Gravis Score (QMG) along with several self-report measures related to current health status. Results: At baseline, no significant differences (p > 0.05) existed between the CCG and IG on any of the test parameters. At 6 weeks, the IG demonstrated significantly (p < 0.01) improved QMG scores while the CCG remained essentially the same. The CCG, which had begun the dietary intervention protocol 6 weeks into the study, also exhibited significant (p < 0.01) improvement in QMG scores similar to that of the IG. At 52 weeks, the entire sample exhibited significant improvement (p < 0.01) in QMG scores from baseline. Significant (p < 0.05) percentage improvement was also reported from subjective measures of activities of daily living (78.3%), energy (81.0%), endurance (79.6%), productivity (92.8%), and quality of life (88.6%). Conclusions: Dietary support with GN may potentially provide physiologic benefits to patients with MG. Continued efficacy studies employing randomized placebo-controlled trials examining specific GN are warranted to evaluate possible autoimmune benefit.

The Effectiveness of a Pre-Exercise Performance Drink (PRX) on Indices of Maximal Cardiorespiratory Fitness.

This study examined the effectiveness of a pre-exercise drink (PRX) called EM.PACT on indices of maximal cardiorespiratory fitness. Twenty-four males (n = 12) and females (n = 12) ages 18-24 years (20.25 + 1.42), volunteered as subjects. Each subject performed two randomized trials of a VO2max treadmill test within a week of each other. Subjects in this randomized, placebo controlled, counter balanced, crossover design, ingested either a placebo (water) or PRX 20 minutes before each exercise bout. VO2max and time to exhaustion (Time) during graded exercise testing were evaluated. Using paired samples t-tests, significantly greater mean values were found in VO2max and Time for the PRX trial compared to the placebo trial (p < .05). Results indicate that indices of cardiorespiratory fitness; specifically VO2max and Time are enhanced by ingestion of PRX prior to exercise testing. The combined results of this investigation may provide meaningful practical applications for coaches and athletes alike regarding ergogenic hydration options.

Cramping and Injury Incidence in Collegiate Football Players Are Reduced by Creatine Supplementation.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effects of creatine supplementation on the incidence of cramping and injury observed during 1 season of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division IA football training and competition. DESIGN AND SETTING: In an open-label manner, subjects who volunteered to take creatine ingested 0.3 g.kg(-1).d(-1) of creatine for 5 days followed by an average of 0.03 g.kg.(-1)d(-1) after workouts, practices, and games. Creatine intake was monitored and recorded by researchers throughout the course of the study. SUBJECTS: Thirty-eight of 72 athletes (53.0%) participating in the 1999 Division IA collegiate football season from the same university volunteered to take creatine in this study. Subjects trained, practiced, or played in environmental conditions ranging from 15 degrees C to 37 degrees C (mean = 27.26 degrees +/- 10.93 degrees C) and 46.0% to 91.0% relative humidity (mean = 54.17% +/- 9.71%). MEASUREMENTS: Injuries treated by the athletic training staff were recorded and categorized as cramping, heat illness or dehydration, muscle tightness, muscle strains, noncontact joint injuries, contact injuries, and illness. The number of missed practices due to injury and illness was also recorded. Data were analyzed using a 2 x 2 chi(2) test to examine the first reported incidences of cramping and injury for creatine users and nonusers. RESULTS: Creatine users had significantly less cramping (chi(2)(1) = 5.35 P =.021); heat illness or dehydration (chi(2)(1) = 4.09, P =.043); muscle tightness (chi(2)(1) = 5.39, P =.020); muscle strains (chi(2)(1) = 5.36, P =.021); and total injuries (chi(2)(1) = 17.80, P<.001) than nonusers. There were no significant differences between groups regarding noncontact joint injuries (chi(2)(1)= 3.48, P =.062); contact injuries (chi(2)(1) = 0.00, P =.100); illness (chi(2)(1) = 6.82, P =.409); missed practices due to injury (chi(2)(1) = 1.43, P =.233); or players lost for the season (chi(2)(1) = 4.75, P =.491). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of cramping or injury in Division IA football players was significantly lower or proportional for creatine users compared with nonusers.

16PF in screening for appropriateness of mentors.

The utility of the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire, Fifth Edition (16PF) as an indicator of mentor effectiveness was examined. A random sample of the 16PF scores of 74 mentors was drawn from a population of 837 mentors from Big Brothers Big Sisters. Caseworkers rated mentor's effectiveness using a rubric developed for this purpose. The rubric showed good interrater agreement. Caseworkers' ratings of mentor's effectiveness was used to rate mentors systematically as appropriate or inappropriate. The 16PF scores of mentors were compared at an alpha level of .05 for appropriate and inappropriate groups using independent t tests and multivariate analyses of variance, which reflected significant differences between male and female mentors on Factors E and Q3. Significant differences were also found between "appropriate" and "inappropriate" mentors on Factors L and Q4. These differences reflected only moderate effect sizes and lacked practical significance or meaning. The results suggest that, while the 16PF discriminates statistically between "appropriate" and "inappropriate" mentors, in terms of practical significance, the questionnaire is not particularly useful as an initial screening tool.