The case for driver science in motorsport: a review and recommendations.

When discussing sports and the athletes who participate in them, it has long been recognized that fitness is a prerequisite for optimal performance. The goal of training to improve fitness levels in athletes is ultimately to minimize the stress that the body experiences during competition. When it comes to the topic of racecar drivers, however, drivers and their trainers have largely been left to their own devices to figure out the stressors and the areas of specific training focus. Unfortunately, racecar drivers have battled the stereotype that they are not athletes, and with little regard for them as athletes, drivers are seldom the focus of scientific research related to their performance. Like the cars they drive, driver-athletes are complex, but from a physiological perspective. However, unlike the cars they drive, driver-athletes have not been examined, evaluated, and tweaked to the same degree. The purpose of this review is two-fold: first, by examining the available literature, to make the case for new research into the driver's role in the driver-car system (i.e. driver science) and the stresses experienced; second, to make the case for more extensive use of microtechnology in the real-time monitoring of driver-athletes. With the miniaturization of sensors and the advent of portable data storage devices, the prospect of quantifying the stresses unique to the driver are no longer as daunting, and the relative impossibility and difficulties associated with measuring the driver-athlete in real-time no longer need to be as challenging. Using microtechnology in the assessment of the driver-athlete and with a more public discussion and dissemination of information on the topic of driver science, the scientific community has the opportunity to quantify that which has been largely assumed and speculated. The current article will offer the following recommendations: first, rather than examining a singular physiological stressor, to examine the interaction of stressors; second, to examine variables/stressors that are more representative of the changing driver demographics; third, to measure drivers in real-time during actual race events; lastly, to work to develop training programs that more accurately apply to the driver and the stresses experienced. In uncovering this information, there is an opportunity to contribute to racing becoming that much safer, that much more competitive, and that much more comprehensive for the driver, the team, and the sport.

Effects of a water-soluble cinnamon extract on body composition and features of the metabolic syndrome in pre-diabetic men and women.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of supplementation with a water-soluble cinnamon extract (Cinnulin PF(R)) on body composition and features of the metabolic syndrome. METHODS: Twenty-two subjects with prediabetes and the metabolic syndrome (mean +/- SD: age, BMI, systolic blood pressure [SBP], fasting blood glucose [FBG]: 46.0 +/- 9.7 y; 33.2 +/- 9.3 kg/m2; 133 +/- 17 mm Hg; 114.3 +/- 11.6 mg/dL) were randomly assigned to supplement their diet with either Cinnulin PF(R) (500 mg/d) or a placebo for 12-weeks. Main outcome measures were changes in FBG, SBP, and body composition measured after 12-weeks of supplementation. The primary statistical analyses consisted of two factor (group x time), repeated-measures ANOVA for between group differences over time. In all analyses, an intent-to-treat approach was used and significance was accepted at P < 0.05. RESULTS: Subjects in the Cinnulin PF(R) group had significant decreases in FBG (-8.4%: 116.3 +/- 12.8 mg/dL [pre] to 106.5 +/- 20.1 mg/dL [post], p < 0.01), SBP (-3.8%: 133 +/- 14 mm Hg [pre] to 128 +/- 18 mm Hg [post], p < 0.001), and increases in lean mass (+1.1%: 53.7 +/- 11.8 kg [pre] to 54.3 +/- 11.8 kg [post], p < 0.002) compared with the placebo group. Additionally, within-group analyses uncovered small, but statistically significant decreases in body fat (-0.7%: 37.9 +/- 9.2% [pre] to 37.2 +/- 8.9% [post], p < 0.02) in the Cinnulin PF(R) group. No significant changes in clinical blood chemistries were observed between groups over time. CONCLUSION: These data support the efficacy of Cinnulin PF(R) supplementation on reducing FBG and SBP, and improving body composition in men and women with the metabolic syndrome and suggest that this naturally-occurring spice can reduce risk factors associated with diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

Effects of creatine on thermoregulatory responses while exercising in the heat.

OBJECTIVE: We hypothesized that creatine supplementation would interfere with normal body fluid shifts that occur during exercise in a hot environment due to its osmotic effect intracellularly. This study examined the effects of acute creatine loading (20 g/d for 5 d) on the thermoregulatory response of the body during a bout of exercise at 39 degrees C. METHODS: Subjects (15 men and 1 woman) performed a cycle test of maximum oxygen consumption to determine the proper work rate for the heat-stress test (40 min at 55% maximum oxygen consumption at 39 degrees C) and were assigned to a creatine group (n = 8) or a placebo group (n = 8) in a double-blind fashion. Each group performed the heat-stress test on two separate occasions: before supplementation and after supplementation (20 g/d of creatine with Gatorade or Solka-floc plus Gatorade). Dependent variables included rectal temperature, mean skin temperature, mean body temperature, and perceived thermal sensation. RESULTS: Repeated measure analysis of variance showed a significant (P < or = 0.05) increase in body weight in the group supplemented with Gatorade. Core temperature was significantly lower after supplementation for both groups combined (before supplementation at 37.85 degrees C and after supplementation at 37.7 degrees C), with no difference between groups. A significant three-way interaction (group x trial x time) was also found for rectal temperature, with both groups having significantly lower rectal temperature after supplementation. Mean body and mean skin temperatures showed no differences. CONCLUSIONS: Short-term creatine supplementation (20 g/d for 5 d) did not have a negative effect on thermoregulatory responses during exercise at 39 degrees C.