In trained cyclists, β-alanine supplementation did not significantly improve 4-min cycling performance; however, there may be a small meaningful improvement in performance. Acute NaHCO3 supplementation significantly improved 4-min cycling performance. There seemed to be a minimal additive effect of combined β-alanine and NaHCO3 supplementation.

Purpose: To compare the training-intensity distribution (TID) across an 8-week training period in a group of highly trained middle-distance runners employing 3 different methods of training-intensity quantification. Methods: A total of 14 highly trained middle-distance runners performed an incremental treadmill test to exhaustion to determine the heart rate (HR) and running speed corresponding to the ventilatory thresholds (gas-exchange threshold and respiratory-compensation threshold), as well as fixed rating of perceived exertion (RPE) values, which were used to demarcate 3 training-intensity zones. During the following 8 weeks, the TID (total and percentage of time spent in each training zone) of all running training sessions (N = 695) was quantified using continuous running speed, HR monitoring, and RPE. Results: Compared with the running-speed-derived TID (zone 1, 79.9% [7.3%]; zone 2, 5.3% [4.9%]; and zone 3, 14.7% [7.3%]), HR-demarcated TID (zone 1, 79.6% [7.2%]; zone 2, 17.0% [6.3%]; and zone 3, 3.4% [2.0%]) resulted in a substantially higher training time in zone 2 (effect size ± 95% confidence interval: −1.64 ± 0.53; P < .001) and lower training time in zone 3 (−1.59 ± 0.51; P < .001). RPE-derived TID (zone 1, 39.6% [8.4%]; zone 2, 31.9% [8.7%]; and zone 3, 28.5% [11.6%]) reduced time in zone 1 compared with both HR (−5.64 ± 1.40; P < .001) and running speed (−5.69 ± 1.9; P < .001), whereas time in RPE training zones 2 and 3 was substantially higher than both HR- and running-speed-derived zones. Conclusion: The results show that the method of training-intensity quantification substantially affects computation of TID.

β-alanine supplementation has become a common practice among competitive athletes participating in a range of different sports. Although the mechanism by which chronic β-alanine supplementation could have an ergogenic effect is widely debated, the popular view is that β-alanine supplementation augments intramuscular carnosine content, leading to an increase in muscle buffer capacity, a delay in the onset of muscular fatigue, and a facilitated recovery during repeated bouts of high-intensity exercise. β-alanine supplementation appears to be most effective for exercise tasks that rely heavily on ATP synthesis from anaerobic glycolysis. However, research investigating its efficacy as an ergogenic aid remains equivocal, making it difficult to draw conclusions as to its effectiveness for training and competition. The aim of this review was to update, summarize, and critically evaluate the findings associated with β-alanine supplementation and exercise performance with the most recent research available to allow the development of practical recommendations for coaches and athletes. A critical review of the literature reveals that when significant ergogenic effects have been found, they have been generally shown in untrained individuals performing exercise bouts under laboratory conditions. The body of scientific data available concerning highly trained athletes performing single competition-like exercise tasks indicates that this type of population receives modest but potentially worthwhile performance benefits from β-alanine supplementation. Recent data indicate that athletes may not only be using β-alanine supplementation to enhance sports performance but also as a training aid to augment bouts of high-intensity training. β-alanine supplementation has also been shown to increase resistance training performance and training volume in team-sport athletes, which may allow for greater overload and superior adaptations compared with training alone. The ergogenic potential of β-alanine supplementation for elite athletes performing repeated high-intensity exercise bouts, either during training or during competition in sports which require repeated maximal efforts (e.g., rugby and soccer), needs scientific confirmation.

Introduction The aim of this study was to determine whether muscle oxidative capacity is influenced by alterations in training volume in middle-distance runners. Methods Twenty-four highly trained middle-distance runners (n = 16 males; V˙O2peak = 73.3(4.3) mL·kg−1·min−1; n = 8 females, V˙O2peak = 63.2(3.4) mL·kg−1·min−1) completed 3 wk of normal training (NormTr), 3 wk of high-volume training (HVTr; a 10%, 20%, and 30% increase in training volume during each successive week from NormTr), and a 1-wk taper (TapTr; 55% exponential reduction in training volume from HVTr week 3). Before and immediately after each training period, the rate of recovery of muscle oxygen consumption (mV˙O2) of the gastrocnemius medialis was measured using near-infrared spectroscopy, with the rate constant indicating muscle oxidative capacity. Time to exhaustion (TTE) and V˙O2peak were determined during a maximal incremental treadmill test. Results Twelve subjects were classified as being functionally overreached (FOR) after HVTr (decreased running TTE and high perceived fatigue), whereas the other 12 subjects were classified as acutely fatigued (AF; no decrease in running TTE). The AF group demonstrated a significant increase in muscle oxidative capacity after HVTr (rate constant: 15.1% ± 9.7% min−1; P = 0.009), with no further improvement after TapTr, whereas there was no change in muscle oxidative capacity for FOR at any time point (P > 0.05). Compared with the FOR group, the AF group had substantially larger improvements in TTE from pre-HVTr to post-TapTr (FOR, 8.8% ± 3.7%; AF, 3.2% ± 3.0%; P = 0.04). Conclusion The present study was able to demonstrate that muscle oxidative capacity was increased in response to a period of HVTr, but only in runners who did not develop FOR. Furthermore, runners who did not develop FOR had substantially larger performance improvements after a taper period.

There are variable responses to short-term periods of increased training load in endurance athletes, whereby some athletes improve without deleterious effects on performance, while others show diminished exercise performance for a period of days to months. The time course of the decrement in performance and subsequent restoration, or super compensation, has been used to distinguish between the different stages of the fitness-fatigue adaptive continuum termed functional overreaching (FOR), non-functional overreaching (NFOR) or overtraining syndrome. The short-term transient training-induced decrements in performance elicited by increases in training load (i.e., FOR) is thought be a sufficient and necessary component of a training program and is often deliberately induced in training in order to promote meaningful physiological adaptations and performance super-compensation. Despite the supposition that deliberately inducing FOR in athletes may be necessary in order to achieve performance supercompensation, FOR has been associated with various negative cardiovascular, hormonal and metabolic consequences. Furthermore, recent studies have demonstrated dampened training and performance adaptations in FOR athletes compared to non-overreached athletes who completed the same training program or the same relative increase in training load. However, this is not always the case and a number of studies have also demonstrated substantial performance super-compensation in athletes who were classified as being FOR. It is possible that there are a number of contextual factors that may influence the metabolic consequences associated with FOR and classifying this training-induced state of fatigue based purely on adecrement in performance may be an oversimplification. Here, the most recent research on FOR in endurance athletes will be critically evaluated to determine: i) if there is sufficient evidence to indicate that inducing a state of FOR is necessary and required in order to induce a performance super-compensation; ii) the metabolic consequences that are associated with FOR, and; iii) strategies that may prevent the negative consequences of overreaching.

Purpose: The present study identified the physiological and performance characteristics that are deterministic during a maximal 1500-m time trial and in paced 1500-m time trials, with an all-out last lap. Methods: Thirtytwo trained middle-distance runners (n=21 male, VO2peak: 72.1±3.2; n=11, female, VO2peak: 61.2±3.7 mL•kg -1 •min -1 ) completed a 1500-m time trial in the fastest time possible (1500FAST) as well as a 1500MOD and 1500SLOW trial whereby mean speed was reduced during the 0-1100-m by 5% and 10%, respectively. Anaerobic speed reserve (ASR), running economy (RE), the velocity corresponding with VO2peak (VVO2peak), maximal sprint speed (MSS) and maximal accumulated oxygen deficit (MAOD) were determined during additional testing. Carnosine content was quantified by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in the gastrocnemius and expressed as a Zscore to estimate muscle fibre typology. Results: 1500FAST time was best explained by RE and VVO2peak in female runners (adjusted r 2 =0.80, P<0.001), in addition to the 0-1100-m speed relative to VVO2peak in male runners (adjusted r 2 =0.72, P<0.001). Runners with a higher gastrocnemius carnosine Z-score (i.e., higher estimated percentage of type II fibres) and greater MAOD, reduced their last lap time to a greater extent in the paced 1500m trials. Neither ASR nor MSS were associated with last lap time in the paced trials. Conclusion: These findings suggest that VVO2 peak and RE are key determinants of 1500-m running performance with a sustained pace from the start, while a higher carnosine Z-score and MAOD are more important for last lap speed in tactical 1500-m races.

Background Sleep loss may influence subsequent physical performance. Quantifying the impact of sleep loss on physical performance is critical for individuals involved in athletic pursuits. Design Systematic review and meta-analysis. Search and Inclusion Studies were identified via the Web of Science, Scopus, and PsycINFO online databases. Investigations measuring exercise performance under ‘control’ (i.e., normal sleep, > 6 h in any 24 h period) and ‘intervention’ (i.e., sleep loss, ≤ 6 h sleep in any 24 h period) conditions were included. Performance tasks were classified into different exercise categories (anaerobic power, speed/power endurance, high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE), strength, endurance, strength-endurance, and skill). Multi-level random-effects meta-analyses and meta-regression analyses were conducted, including subgroup analyses to explore the influence of sleep-loss protocol (e.g., deprivation, restriction, early [delayed sleep onset] and late restriction [earlier than normal waking]), time of day the exercise task was performed (AM vs. PM) and body limb strength (upper vs. lower body). Results Overall, 227 outcome measures (anaerobic power: n = 58; speed/power endurance: n = 32; HIIE: n = 27; strength: n = 66; endurance: n = 22; strength-endurance: n = 9; skill: n = 13) derived from 69 publications were included. Results indicated a negative impact of sleep loss on the percentage change (%Δ) in exercise performance (n = 959 [89%] male; mean %Δ =  − 7.56%, 95% CI − 11.9 to − 3.13, p = 0.001, I2 = 98.1%). Effects were significant for all exercise categories. Subgroup analyses indicated that the pattern of sleep loss (i.e., deprivation, early and late restriction) preceding exercise is an important factor, with consistent negative effects only observed with deprivation and late-restriction protocols. A significant positive relationship was observed between time awake prior to the exercise task and %Δ in performance for both deprivation and late-restriction protocols (~ 0.4% decrease for every hour awake prior to exercise). The negative effects of sleep loss on different exercise tasks performed in the PM were consistent, while tasks performed in the AM were largely unaffected. Conclusions Sleep loss appears to have a negative impact on exercise performance. If sleep loss is anticipated and unavoidable, individuals should avoid situations that lead to experiencing deprivation or late restriction, and prioritise morning exercise in an effort to maintain performance.

The varying results reported in response to β-alanine supplementation may be related to the duration and nature of the exercise protocol employed. We investigated the effects of β-alanine supplementation on a wide range of cycling performance tests in order to produce a clear concise set of criteria for its efficacy. Fourteen trained cyclists (Age = 24.8 ± 6.7 years; VO2max = 65.4 ± 10.2 mL·kg·min(-1)) participated in this placebo-controlled, double-blind study. Prior to supplementation, subjects completed two (familiarization and baseline) supramaximal cycling bouts until exhaustion (120% pre-supplementation VO2max) and two 1-, 4- and 10-km cycling time trial (TT). Subjects then supplemented orally for 4 weeks with 6.4 g/d placebo or β-alanine and repeated the battery of performance tests. Blood lactate was measured pre-exercise, post-exercise and 5  min post-exercise. β-alanine supplementation elicited significant increases in time to exhaustion (TTE) (17.6 ± 11.5 s; p = 0.013, effect compared with placebo) and was likely to be beneficial to 4-km TT performance time (-7.8 ± 8.1 s; 94% likelihood), despite not being statistically different (p = 0.060). Performance times in the 1- and 10-km TT were not affected by treatment. For the highly trained cyclists in the current study, β-alanine supplementation significantly extended supramaximal cycling TTE and may have provided a worthwhile improvement to 4-km TT performance. However, 1- and 10-km cycling TT performance appears to be unaffected by β-alanine supplementation.