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To examine efficacy of cold water immersion (CWI) and massage as recovery techniques on joint position sense, balance, and fear of falling following exercise‐induced muscle damage in older adults. Seventy‐eight older men and women performed a single bout of strength training on the calf muscles (3 exercises with 4 sets of 10 reps with 75% of 1RM) to induce muscle damage. After the damaging exercise, participants received either a 15‐minute massage on calf muscles, or a CWI of the lower limb in cold water (15 ± 1°C) for 15 minute, or passive rest. Interventions were applied immediately after the exercise protocol and at 24, 48, and 72 hours post‐exercise. Muscle pain, calf muscle strength, joint position sense, dynamic balance, postural sway, and fear of falling were measured at each time point. Repeated application of massage after EIMD relieved muscle pain, attenuated the loss of muscle strength and joint position senses, reduce balance impairments, and fear of falling in older adults (P ≤ .05). However, repeated applications of CWI, despite relieving muscle pain (P ≤ .05), did not attenuate the loss of muscle strength, joint position senses, balance impairments, and fear of falling. CWI had only some modest effects on muscle pain, but massage attenuated EIMD symptoms and the related impairments in muscle strength, joint position sense, balance, and postural sway in untrained older individuals. Therefore, older exercisers who plan to participate in strength training can benefit from massage for recovery from muscle damage indices and balance to decrease falling risk during the days following strength training.

Background Consumption of nutritional supplements to optimize recovery is gaining popularity among athletes. Tomatoes contain micronutrients and various bioactive components with antioxidant properties. Many of the health benefits of tomatoes have been attributed to lycopene encouraging athletes to consume pure lycopene supplements. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of tomato powder and lycopene supplement on lipid peroxidation induced by exhaustive exercise in well-trained male athletes. Methods Eleven well-trained male athletes participated in a randomized, double-blinded, crossover study. Each subject underwent three exhaustive exercise tests after 1-week supplementation of tomato powder (each serving contained 30 mg lycopene, 5.38 mg beta-carotene, 22.32 mg phytoene, 9.84 mg phytofluene), manufactured lycopene supplement (30 mg lycopene), or placebo. Three blood samples (baseline, post-ingestion and post-exercise) were collected to assess total anti-oxidant capacity (TAC) and variables of lipid peroxidation including malondialdehyde (MDA) and 8-isoprostane. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures of ANOVA at P < 0.05. Results Tomato powder enhanced total antioxidant capacity (12% increase, P = 0.04). Exhaustive exercise, regardless of supplement/ placebo, elevated MDA and 8-isoprostane levels (P < 0.001). The elevation of 8–isoprostane following exhaustive exercise was lower in the tomato powder treatment compared to the placebo (9% versus 24%, p = 0.01). Furthermore, following exhaustive exercise MDA elevated to a lower extent in tomatoe powder treatment compared to the placebo (20% versus 51%, p = 0.009). However, such differences were not indicated between lycopene and placebo treatments (p > 0.05). Conclusion Beneficial effects of tomato powder on antioxidant capacity and exercise-induced lipid peroxidation may be brought about by a synergistic interaction of lycopene with other bioactive nutrients rather than single lycopene.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different doses of pre-workout sodium nitrate supplementation on nitric oxide, peroxynitrite levels, and performance parameters. Ten well-trained male subjects participated in a randomized, double-blinded, crossover study. They ingested 8, 16, and 24 mmol sodium nitrate or placebo (NaCl) dissolved in water at 2.5 h before an incremental exercise test. Respiratory gases (oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production, respiratory exchange ratio) were measured throughout the exercise trials and 3 blood samples (pre-ingestion, 2.5 h post-ingestion and postexercise) were taken to analyze nitrate/nitrite (NOx) and peroxynitrite levels. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA at significance level of P < 0.05. NOx levels significantly increased following sodium nitrate ingestion compared with placebo (placebo: 40.86 ± 10.7 μmol/L, 8 mmol: 203.69 ± 25.1 μmol/L, 16 mmol: 289.41 ± 30.1 μmol/L, and 24 mmol: 300.95 ± 42.4 μmol/L, respectively) (P = 0.0001). However, this did not induce any significant change in oxygen consumption (P = 0.351), blood lactate concentration (P = 0.245), and time-to-exhaustion (P = 0.147). Peroxynitrite levels were similar compared with placebo when participants ingested 8 and 16 mmol of inorganic nitrate but a significant increase was observed after exercise at maximal intensity when participants were supplemented with 24 mmol (mean = 14.60 ± 1.3 μmol/L, P = 0.001). Pre-workout ingestion of high dose of sodium nitrate (24 mmol) induced peroxynitrate formation, a marker of oxidative stress. Caution must be taken regarding administration of higher doses before benefits or adverse effects are established in this population.

Background: Excessive apoptosis in the myocardium contributes to the pathogenesis of heart disease. Evidence indicates that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) can alter myocardial apoptosis-related signaling. Objectives:The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of 12 weeks of HIIT on some indices of apoptosis, including Bcl-2, Bax, and caspase-3 in the myocardial tissue of male rats. Methods: Thirty male Wistar rats (age range: 8 -10 weeks) were randomized into three groups, including sham (n = 10), control (n = 10), and HIIT (n = 10). The experimental group underwent HIIT consisting of 2 -8 repetitions of 4-min high-intensity intervals (85% -90% peak speed) interspersed with low-intensity intervals (45% -50% peak speed), performed five times/week over 12 weeks. Forty-eight hours after the last training session, animals' hearts were removed. The gene expressions of Bcl-2, Bax, and caspase-3 were analyzed by the RT-PCR method. The independent t-test was used for statistical analysis (P < 0.05). Results:The gene expressions of Bcl-2 and Bcl-2/Bax ratio were higher in the training group than in the control group (P = 0.001 and P = 0.002, respectively). Regarding Bax and caspase-3 gene expression, although the mean levels were lower in the exercise group than in the control group, the differences were statistically insignificant (P = 0.57 and P = 0.27, respectively). Conclusions: Overall, it seems that HIIT significantly increases the expression of anti-apoptotic indicator Bcl-2 and the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax in the myocardium of male rats. However, further studies are needed to show the effects of HIIT on myocardial apoptosis.

Although acute kidney injury (AKI) is a very rare complication of tramadol (TR) poisoning, overdose use in recent years should be considered. We present a 21‐year‐old man with metabolic acidosis, seizures, elevated serum creatine phosphokinase (CPK), creatinine, and rhabdomyolysis due to tramadol poisoning.

Beta-alanine (BA) is a supplement that has received attention for its buffering potential among athletes. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of BA supplementation on exercise performance and exercise-induced cell damage in female basketball players. Twenty-two female basketball players participated in a randomized, double-blind study. They ingested 6.4 g·day-1 of BA or an isocaloric placebo (dextrose) over 4 weeks. Exercise performance including aerobic (Bruce test), anaerobic (Wingate test), intermittent (Yo-Yo test) and basketball performance (countermovement jump and free throw shots) was measured before and following the intervention. Exercise measures were performed at the lab and free throw shots were undertaken on a wooden indoor basketball court. Blood samples were also collected before and after the exhaustive exercise to assess lactate concentration, creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) activity. The exhaustive exercise test induced an increase in lactate concentration and MDA, CK and LDH activity (all p < 0.05). BA supplementation significantly reduced the lactate response to exhaustive exercise (p = 0.001); however, it had no significant effect on exercise-induced MDA, CK and LDH activity (all p > 0.05). Furthermore, exercise performance measures improved from pre- to post-test regardless of supplement/placebo ingestion (all p < 0.05). BA consumption over 4 weeks significantly reduced lactate accumulation following exhaustive exercise, but had no ergogenic effect in female basketball players. Usual dosing of BA does not seem to exhibit protective effect against oxidative damage.