The effects of beta alanine plus creatine administration on performance during repeated bouts of supramaximal exercise in sedentary men.

AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of beta alanine and/or creatine supplementation on performance during repeated bouts of supramaximal exercise in sedentary men. METHODS: Forty-four untrained healthy men (aged 20-22 years, weight: 68-72 kg, height: 174-178 cm) participated in the present study. After performing the Wingate Test (WAnT) for three times in the baseline exercise session, the subjects were assigned to one of four treatment groups randomly: 1) placebo (P; 10 g maltodextrose); 2) creatine (Cr; 5 g creatine plus 5 g maltodextrose); 3) beta-alanine (ß-ALA; 1,6 g beta alanine plus 8,4 g maltodextrose); and 4) beta-alanine plus creatine (ß-ALA+Cr; 1,6 g beta alanine plus 5 g creatine plus 3,4 g maltodextrose). Participants were given the supplements orally twice a day for 22 consecutive days, then four times a day for the following 6 days. After 28 days, the second exercise session was applied during which peak power (PP) and mean power (MP) were measured and fatigue index (FI) was calculated. RESULTS: PP and MP decreased and FI increased in all groups during exercise before and after the treatment. During the postsupplementation session PP2 and PP3 increased in creatine supplemented group (from 642.7±148.6 to 825.1±205.2 in PP2 and from 522.9±117.5 to 683.0±148.0 in PP3, respectively). However, MP increased in ß-ALA+Cr during the postsupplementation compared to presupplementation in all exercise sessions (from 586.2±55.4 to 620.6±49.6 in MP1, from 418.1±37.2 to 478.3±30.3 in MP2 and from 362.0±41.3 to 399.1±3 in MP3, respectively). FI did not change with beta alanine and beta alanine plus creatine supplementation during the postsupplementation exercise session. CONCLUSION: Beta-alanine and beta alanine plus creatine supplementations have strong performance enhancing effect by increasing mean power and delaying fatigue Index during the repeated WAnT.

Effects of CoQ10 supplementation and swimming training on exhaustive exercise-induced oxidative stress in rat heart.

This study examined the combined effects of swimming training and coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) supplementation on exhaustive exercise-induced oxidative stress in rat heart. The study was carried out with 4-month-old young adult male Wistar rats. Sixty four rats were divided mainly into two groups: trained and control. Each group was further divided into four subgroups: rest, exhausted, rest with CoQ10, exhausted with CoQ10. The training program consisted of swimming one hour each day, five days a week, for six weeks. At the end of sixth week, rats in exhausted exercise group were forced to swim until exhaustion and then they were immediately sacrificed, while rats in rest group were sacrificed at rest. Training alone or in combination with CoQ10 supplementation reduced to increasing MDA levels due to exhaustive exercise in rat heart (p<0.05). The trained-rest with CoQ10 group showed lower 8-OHdG levels than the control-rest with CoQ10 group. Exhaustive exercise effect was significant on SOD activity. Exhaustive exercise increased GSH levels in control groups while decreased GSH levels in training groups (p<0.05). In conclusion, the results suggest that CoQ10 supplementation combined with training may inhibit lipid peroxidation and DNA damage in the heart tissue. Also, it can be said that SOD activity and GSH levels were not influenced by CoQ10 supplementation (Fig. 4, Tab. 1, Ref. 69).

Effects of treatment with coenzyme Q10 on exercised rat aorta.

In this study, the effect of long-term supplementation of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) on the responses of swim-trained rat aorta was investigated. Twenty-four adult male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: untrained, trained, untrained+CoQ10, and trained+CoQ10 group. In the trained groups rats swam for 60 min/day, five days/week for six weeks. The CoQ10 supplements were administered by intraperitoneal injection at a daily dose of 10 mg·kg-1 of body weight five days/week for six weeks. Swimming of the rats was performed in a container containing tap water. Rats were sacrificed and thoracic aortas were removed for ex vivo analysis after the last swimming session. The aortas were cut into rings 2.5 mm in length. Concentration-response curves for phenylephrine (PHE, 10-9-3×10-4 M) and potassium chloride (KCl, 5-100 mM) were isometrically recorded. The sensitivity and maximal responses to PHE and KCl of aortic rings obtained from trained rats were lower than those of untrained rats. CoQ10 supplementation decreased the responses to both vasoconstrictors in untrained and especially in trained groups. Although neither CoQ10 nor training did affect malondialdehyde (MDA) and protein carbonyl (PC) levels, creatine kinase (CK) activity decreased and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity increased only with exercise training. Glutathione (GSH) levels increased in CoQ10 supplemented-untrained rats. In conclusion, our results suggest that CoQ10 supplementation may have beneficial effects during exercise.

Short duration exhaustive running exercise does not modify lipid hydroperoxide, glutathione peroxidase and catalase.

AIM: Oxidative stress occurs only when exercise is exhaustive and is independent of the absolute duration of exercise. In this study the effects of short duration (03:50 +/- 00:06 min) high-intensity exhaustive exercise on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant status were examined. METHODS: A total of thirty-seven male university students (23.9+/-0.6 years old) participated in this study. None was involved in a regular training program before the study. Intensities of exercises were determined according to the maximum slope and speed they could run in Bruce Test Protocol which is used for determining V.O2max of the participants. Just before and after the high intensity exhaustive running exercise test, venous blood was collected and centrifuged to separate the plasma. RESULTS: Lipid hydroperoxides (LOOH) did not change, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) decreased (2%) and catalase (CAT) increased (13%) at the pre and post exhaustive exercise test. These changes were not statistically significant (P>0.05). On the other hand, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels significantly increased (31%) (P< 0.001). CONCLUSION: As a result, it may be claimed that short duration exhaustive exercise test produced no important changes in LOOH, GPx and CAT levels. And exhaustive exercise-induced oxidative stress may be related with exercise duration.

Morbidity and mortality in the martial arts: a warning.

Approximately 1.5 to 2 million Americans participate in the martial arts. Injury anecdotes are reported from 10 years of providing medical coverage at martial arts activities. Included are data from two national Tae Kwon Do tournaments, one adult and one junior level. Previously unreported injuries, including a video-recorded fatality, demonstrate the danger inherent in participation. Of particular concern is the potential for serious neurologic injury. Recommendations are made for reducing the severity and frequency of injuries.