Upper Limb Anaerobic Metabolism Capacity is Reduced in Mild and Moderate COPD Patients.

Limited information is available regarding the role of anaerobic metabolism capacity on GOLD 1 and 2 COPD patients during upper limb exercise. We aimed to compare the upper limb anaerobic power capacity, blood lactate concentration, cardiovascular and respiratory responses, in male COPD patients versus healthy subjects during the 30-s Wingate anaerobic test (WAnT). The rate of fatigue and time constant of the power output decay (τ, tau) were also calculated and a regression analysis model was built to assess the predictors of τ in these patients. Twenty-four male COPD patients (post-bronchodilator FEV1 73.2 ± 15.3% of predicted) and 17 healthy subjects (FEV1 103.5 ± 10.1% of predicted) underwent the WAnT. Measurements were performed at rest, at the end of the WAnT, and during 3' and 5' of recovery time. Peak power (p = 0.04), low power (p = 0.002), and mean power output (p = 0.008) were significantly lower in COPD patients than in healthy subjects. Power output decreased exponentially in both groups, but at a significantly faster rate (p = 0.007) in COPD patients. The time constant of power decay was associated with resistance (in ohms) and fat-free mass (r2 = 0.604, adjusted r2 = 0.555, and p = 0.002). Blood lactate concentration was significantly higher in healthy subjects at the end of the test, as well as during 3' and 5' of recovery time (p < 0.01). Compared with healthy subjects, COPD patients with GOLD 1 and 2 presented lower upper limb anaerobic capacity and a faster rate of power output decrease during a maximal intensity exercise. Also, the WAnT proved to be a valid tool to measure the upper limb anaerobic capacity in these patients.

Desempenho da potência anaeróbia em atletas de elite do mountain bike submetidos à suplementação aguda com creatina / Anaerobic power output of elite off-road cyclists with acute oral creatine supplementation

Com o objetivo de investigar os efeitos da suplementação aguda com creatina no desempenho da potência anaeróbia de atletas de elite do mountain bike, 20 atletas em período básico do macrociclo de treinamento foram distribuídos aleatoriamente (duplo-cego) em dois grupos: placebo (PLA, n = 10) e creatina (CRE, n = 10). Foram avaliados quanto à composição corporal (pesagem hidrostática) e potência anaeróbia (teste de Wingate - TW) antes (PRÉ) e depois (PÓS) de sete dias de suplementação. A creatina ou maltodextrina foi usada em três doses diárias de 0,3g/kg de massa corporal diluídos em meio líquido adoçado. Não foram observadas diferenças significativas nas variáveis morfológicas após sete dias de suplementação (PRÉ x PÓS), e os grupos não diferiram apesar da variação percentual (Δ por cento) contrária (positiva para o grupo CRE e negativa para o PLA). A potência anaeróbia pico (PP) e o instante da potência pico (IPP) aumentaram e o índice de fadiga diminuiu do PRÉ para o PÓS-testes no grupo CRE, enquanto que o grupo PLA não apresentou diferenças significantes. A PP apresentou forte tendência em ser maior e o IPP foi maior no grupo CRE comparado com o PLA. Conclui-se que existem evidências de que a suplementação com creatina (0,3g/kg) em curto prazo (sete dias) pode retardar o IPP (CRE 3,0 ± 0,5/3,6 ± 0,8 Δ por cento= 20 por cento) no teste de Wingate em atletas de elite do mountain bike, sugerindo que a suplementação com creatina pode melhorar o desempenho físico quanto à potência anaeróbia durante o trabalho de alta intensidade e curta duração.

In order to investigate the effect of a high dose, acute oral creatine supplementation on anaerobic power of male off-road cyclists, twenty elite athletes training at the basic period were randomly (double-blind) assigned into 2 groups: placebo (PLA n=10) and creatine (CRE n=10). They were submitted to a body composition evaluation (underwater weighting) and Wingate Anaerobic Test (TW) before (PRE) and after (POS) seven days of supplementation. The oral supplements (creatine and maltodextrine) were taken in sweetened vehicle with three equal doses per day (0. 3 g/kg body mass/dose). After a seven-day period, no significant differences were found on morphological variables (PRE x POS) and there was no difference between the groups in spite of the opposite percent variation (Δ percent) (positive for CRE and negative for PLA group). The anaerobic power output (PP) and the moment of pick power (IPP) increased and the fatigue index decreased from PRE to POST tests in CRE group; however, the PLA group did not show significant differences. The PP showed strong tendency to increased values and IPP was greater in the CRE compared with the PLA group. The results of the present study indicated that short-term creatine supplementation (0.3g/kg) can postpone the anaerobic IPP (CRE 3.0 ± 0.5/3.6 ± 0.8 Δ percent= 20 percent) leading to significant improvement on the performance of power output and peak power moment in off-road cyclists.