The purpose of the present investigation was to identify muscle damage, inflammatory response and oxidative stress blood markers in athletes undertaking the ultra-endurance MultiSport Brazil race. Eleven well-trained male athletes (34.3 ± 3.1 years, 74.0 ± 7.6 kg; 172.2 ± 5.1 cm) participated in the study and performed the race, which consisted of about 90 km of alternating off-road running, mountain biking and kayaking. Twelve hours before and up to 15 minutes after the race a 10 mL blood sample was drawn in order to measure the following parameters: lactate dehydrogenase and creatine kinase activities, lipid peroxidation, catalase activity, protein carbonylation, respiratory chain complexes I, II and IV activities, oxygen consumption and neopterin concentrations. After the race, plasma lactate dehydrogenase and creatine kinase activities were significantly increased. Erythrocyte TBA-RS levels and plasma protein carbonylation were markedly augmented in post-race samples. Additionally, mitochondrial complex II activity and oxygen consumption in post-race platelet-rich plasma were also increased. These altered biochemical parameters were accompanied by increased plasma neopterin levels. The ultra-endurance event provoked systemic inflammation (increased neopterin) accompanied by marked oxidative stress, likely by increasing oxidative metabolism (increased oxidative mitochondrial function). This might be advantageous during prolonged exercise, mainly for efficient substrate oxidation at the mitochondrial level, even when tissue damage is induced.

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We hypothesized that prior exercise would attenuate the muscle fatigue accompanied by oxygen uptake slow-component (V̇O2SC) behavior during a subsequent very-heavy (VH)-intensity cycling exercise. Thirteen healthy male subjects performed tests to determine the critical power (CP) and the fixed amount of work above CP ([Formula: see text]) and performed 6 square-wave bouts until 3 or 8 min, each at a work rate set to deplete 70% [Formula: see text] in 8 min, with a maximal isokinetic effort before and after the conditions without (VHCON) and with prior exercise (VHEXP), to measure the cycling peak torque decrement. The V̇O2SC magnitude at 3 min (VHCON = 0.280 ± 0.234, VHEXP = 0.116 ± 0.109 L·min−1; p = 0.04) and the V̇O2SC trajectory were significantly lower for VHEXP (VHCON = 0.108 ± 0.042, VHEXP = 0.063 ± 0.031 L·min−2; p < 0.01), leading to a V̇O2SC magnitude at the eighth minute that was significantly lower than VHCON (VHCON = 0.626 ± 0.296 L·min−1, VHEXP = 0.337 ± 0.179; p < 0.01). Conversely, peak torque progressively decreased from pre-exercise to 3 min (Δtorque = 21.5 ± 7.7 vs. 19.6 ± 9.2 Nm) and to 8 min (Δtorque = 29.4 ± 15.8 vs. 27.5 ± 12.0 Nm) at VHCON and VHEXP, respectively, without significant differences between conditions. Regardless of the condition, there was a significant relationship between Δtorque and the V̇O2SC (R2: VHCON = 0.23, VHEXP = 0.25; p = 0.01). Considering that “priming” effects on the V̇O2SC were not accompanied by the muscle force behavior, these findings do not support the hypothesis of a “causal” relationship between the time-course of muscle fatigue and V̇O2SC.

The maximal lactate steady state (MLSS) represents a submaximal intensity that may be important in prescribing both continuous and interval endurance training. This study compared time to exhaustion (TTE) at MLSS in continuous and intermittent (i.e., with pauses) exercise, investigating whether physiological variables differ between these exercise modes. Fourteen trained male cyclists volunteered for this investigation and performed an incremental test, several 30-min tests to determine two MLSS intensities (continuous and discontinuous protocol), and two randomized tests until exhaustion at MLSS intensities on a cycle ergometer. The intermittent or discontinuous protocol was performed using 5 min of cycling, with an interval of 1 min of passive rest. TTE at intermittent MLSS was 24% longer than TTE at continuous exercise (67.8 ± 14.3 min vs. 54.7 ± 10.9 min; p < 0.05; effect sizes = 1.04), even though the absolute power output of intermittent MLSS was higher than continuous (268 ± 29 W vs. 251 ± 29 W; p < 0.05). Additionally, the total mechanical work done was significantly lower at continuous exercise than at intermittent exercise. Likewise, regarding cardiorespiratory and metabolic variables, we observed greater responses during intermittent exercise than during continuous exercise at MLSS. Thus, for endurance training prescription, this is an important finding to apply in extensive interval sessions at MLSS. This result suggests that interval sessions at discontinuous MLSS should be used instead of continuous MLSS, as discontinuous MLSS allows for a larger amount of total work during the exhaustion trial.

Therefore, trained cyclists should develop maximal aerobic power irrespective of the duration of time trial, as well as enhancements in metabolic thresholds for long-duration time trials.

IntroductionThe characterization of the hyperbolic power-time (P-t lim) relationship using a two-parameter model implies that exercise tolerance above the asymptote (Critical Power; CP), i.e. within the severe intensity domain, is determined by the curvature (W’) of the relationship.PurposesThe purposes of this study were (1) to test whether the amount of work above CP (W>CP) remains constant for varied work rate experiments of high volatility change and (2) to ascertain whether W’ determines exercise tolerance within the severe intensity domain.MethodsFollowing estimation of CP (208 ± 19 W) and W’ (21.4 ± 4.2 kJ), 14 male participants (age: 26 ± 3; peak : 3708 ± 389 ml.min-1) performed two experimental trials where the work rate was initially set to exhaust 70% of W’ in 3 (‘THREE’) or 10 minutes (‘TEN’) before being subsequently dropped to CP plus 10 W.Results W>CP for TEN (104 ± 22% W’) and W’ were not significantly different (P>0.05) but lower than W>CP for THREE (119 ± 17% W’, P<0.05). For both THREE (r = 0.71, P<0.01) and TEN (r = 0.64, P<0.01), a significant bivariate correlation was found between W’ and t lim.Conclusion W>CP and t lim can be greater than predicted by the P-t lim relationship when a decrement in the work rate of high-volatility is applied. Exercise tolerance can be enhanced through a change in work rate within the severe intensity domain. W>CP is not constant.

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New Findings r What is the central question of this study?Does the rate of utilization of W (the curvature constant of the power-duration relationship) affect fatigue during severe-intensity exercise? r What is the main finding and its importance?The magnitude of fatigue after two severe-intensity exercises designed to deplete the same fraction of W (70%) at two different rates of utilization (fast versus slow) was similar after both exercises. Moreover, the magnitude of fatigue was related to critical power (CP), supporting the contention that CP is a key determinant in fatigue development during high-intensity exercise. Thus, the CP model is a suitable approach to investigate fatigue mechanisms during high-intensity exercise.The depletion of W (the curvature constant of the power-duration relationship) seems to contribute to fatigue during severe-intensity exercise. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the effect of a fast versus a slow rate of utilization of W on the occurrence of fatigue within the severe-intensity domain. Fifteen healthy male subjects performed tests to determine the critical power, W and peak torque in the control condition (T CON ) and immediately after two fatiguing work rates (THREE and TEN) set to deplete 70% W in either 3 (T THREE ) or 10 min (T TEN ). The T THREE and T TEN were significantly reduced (F = 19.68, P = 0.01) in comparison to T CON . However, the magnitude of reduction in peak torque (T THREE = −19.8 ± 10.1% versus T TEN = −16.8 ± 13.3%) was the same in the two fatiguing exercises (t = −0.76, P = 0.46). There was a significant inverse relationship between the critical power and the reduction in peak torque during both THREE (r = −0.49, P = 0.03) and TEN (r = −0.62, P = 0.02). In contrast, the W was not significantly correlated with the reduction in peak torque during both THREE (r = −0.14, P = 0.33) and TEN (r = −0.30, P = 0.10). Thus, fatigue following severe-intensity exercises performed at different rates of utilization of W was similar when the same work was done above the critical power (i.e. same amount of W used).