BackgroundPotential health benefits are attributed to the antioxidant properties of green tea polyphenolic compounds. The main aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of a six-week green tea extract (GTE) supplementation combined with CrossFit workout on blood antioxidant status and serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in men.MethodsSixteen young males involved in CrossFit training were randomized into two groups supplemented with GTE or placebo for six weeks. Each participant performed an exercise test for the evaluation of maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max) twice, i.e., before starting (1st trial) and after completing the supplementation combined with CrosFit workout (2nd trial). Venous blood samples were drawn at rest, immediately post-test and after one hour of recovery in order to estimate activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase [SOD], catalase [CAT], glutathione peroxidase [GPx], reduced glutathione [GR]), non-enzymatic antioxidants (reduced glutathione [GSH], uric acid [UA], total phenolics), total antioxidant capacity (FRAP), lipid peroxidation products (TBARS), and BDNF.ResultsExcept for a significantly higher SOD activity and FRAP level recorded at rest and post-exercise in the 2nd trial compared to the corresponding values in the 1st trial, no significant differences were recorded among other assayed measures such as CAT, GPx, GR, GSH and BDNF. Moreover, a percentage increase in FRAP level was twice as high after six weeks’ GTE consumption than after placebo. Regardless of the trial, an increase in plasma UA concentration and a decrease in plasma total phenolics level were observed after exercise test. Plasma TBARS concentrations were significantly higher in PLA group after six weeks’ CrossFit training, while in GTE group they were slightly lower compared to the corresponding values in the 1st trial. Moreover, there was a significant inverse correlation between FRAP and TBARS in the GTE-supplemented group (r = − 0.40, p < 0.05).ConclusionsA six weeks’ consumption of GTE had marginal effect on aerobic capacity and serum BDNF level in CrossFit-trained men, but it caused a marked increase in the blood antioxidant capacity and a moderate attenuation of the training-induced lipid peroxidation.

The objective of this research was to determine the effectiveness of intermittent fasting (IF) in reducing body fat and lowering body mass index. An additional objective was to determine the feasibility of applying IF in overweight women over 60 years of age, which was assessed by the ratio of subjects who resigned from the diet plan. This study included a group of 45 women over 60 years of age. The intervention in the experimental group involved complete abstinence from food intake for 16 h per day, from 20:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. (the next day). The results demonstrated that the body weight in the subjects in the experimental group (EXP) group decreased by almost 2 kg and this decrease was visible in the remaining parameters related to body fat mass. The skeletal muscle mass did not change significantly, which indicates an actual decrease in the fat mass. The proportion of subjects who did not succeed in following the prescribed diet plan was 12%. The application of intermittent fasting in female subjects over 60 years of age resulted in positive changes in body composition. Time-restricted feeding (TRF) was characterized by a lower resignation rate compared to other diets involving intermittent fasting.

Extracts of Ginkgo biloba leaves, a natural source of flavonoids and polyphenolic compounds, are commonly used as therapeutic agents for the improvement of both cognitive and physiological performance. The present study was aimed to test the effects of a six-week supplementation with 160 mg/day of a standardized extract of Ginkgo biloba or a matching placebo on aerobic performance, blood antioxidant capacity, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) level in healthy, physically active young men, randomly allocated to two groups (n = 9 each). At baseline, as well as on the day following the treatment, the participants performed an incremental cycling test for the assessment of maximal oxygen uptake. Venous blood samples taken at rest, then immediately post-test and following 1 h of recovery, were analyzed for activities of antioxidant enzymes and plasma concentrations of non-enzymatic antioxidants, total phenolics, uric acid, lipid peroxidation products, ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP), and serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Our results show that six weeks’ supplementation with Ginkgo biloba extract in physically active young men may provide some marginal improvements in their endurance performance expressed as VO2max and blood antioxidant capacity, as evidenced by specific biomarkers, and elicit somewhat better neuroprotection through increased exercise-induced production of BDNF.

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) has been used for the detection of post-exercise changes in blood serum resulting from participation in the CrossFit (CF) training combined with green tea extract (GTE) supplementation. Blood samples from 20 well-trained men were collected at rest, immediately post-exercise and after 1 h of recovery in two trials: first before and second after CF training combined with GTE or placebo administration in the supplemented (S) and control (C) groups, respectively. Selected muscle damage biomarkers have been compared in different phases of the experiment. A significant increase in blood lactate content has been observed post-exercise in both trials in both participants' groups. The opposite trends have been noted for the C and S groups in creatine kinase (CK) activity changes recorded during the first to the second trial: an increase in CK for the control and a decrease for the supplemented group in all phases of the experiment: pre-exercise, post-exercise and after recovery. In the second trial, all CK values for the S group have been found significantly lower than the corresponding values recorded in the C group. These results suggest a mitigate effect of GTE supplementation on post-training muscle damage. DSC results did not reveal clear effects of training nor GTE supplementation on serum denaturation transition. However, interesting dependences of thermodynamic parameters describing this transition have been observed in different phases of the experiment. Statistically significant negative correlations have been found between post-training VO 2max and post-exercise thermodynamic parameters associated with haptoglobin contribution to serum denaturation transition.

Studies on muscle activation time in sport after caffeine supplementation confirmed the effectiveness of caffeine. The novel approach was to determine whether a dose of 9 mg/kg/ body mass (b.m.) of caffeine affects the changes of contraction time and the displacement of electrically stimulated muscle (gastrocnemius medialis) in professional athletes who regularly consume products rich in caffeine and do not comply with the caffeine discontinuation period requirements. The study included 40 professional male handball players (age = 23.13 ± 3.51, b.m. = 93.51 ± 15.70 kg, height 191 ± 7.72, BMI = 25.89 ± 3.10). The analysis showed that in the experimental group the values of examined parameters were significantly reduced (p ≤ 0.001) (contraction time: before = 20.60 ± 2.58 ms/ after = 18.43 ± 3.05 ms; maximal displacement: before = 2.32 ± 0.80 mm/after = 1.69 ± 0.51 mm). No significant changes were found in the placebo group. The main achievement of this research was to demonstrate that caffeine at a dose of 9 mg/kg in professional athletes who regularly consume products rich in caffeine has a direct positive effect on the mechanical activity of skeletal muscle stimulated by an electric pulse.

The main aim of the study was to determine the effectiveness of time-restricted eating (TRE) in reducing body fat and lowering body mass index in early elderly men with overweight (65–74 years). An additional goal was to determine the feasibility of applying TRE for extensive use in elderly men. This study included a group of 46 healthy men (EXP = 23 persons, CON = 23 persons). The six-week intervention in the experimental group involved complete abstinence from food intake for 16 h per day, from 08:00 to 12:00 p.m. After the intervention, the body weight decreased in the EXP group (− 1.92 kg) with a 95% CI (1.14–2.70) compared to the CON group. There was also a decrease in the Visceral fat mass (− 0.64 l) with 95% CI (0.46–0.82) and in the waist circumference (− 3.11 cm) with 95% CI (1.89–4.33) in the EXP group compared to the CON group. The skeletal muscle mass did not change significantly. There was no significant change in the control group, either. The application of TRE in early elderly overweight men resulted in positive changes in body composition and visceral fat. All participants succeed in the prescribed diet plan, which shows that TRE is easy to maintain for early elderly overweight men and may become an essential obesity treatment tool in these age groups.

Background: Knee immobilization is a common intervention for patients with traumatic injuries. However, it usually leads to biomechanical/morphological disturbances of articular tissues. These changes may contribute to declining kinetic friction-related quality of arthrokinematics; however, this phenomenon has not been analyzed in vivo and remains unrecognized. Thus, the aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of immobilization and subsequent re-mobilization on the quality of arthrokinematics within the patellofemoral joint, analyzed by vibroarthrography (VAG). Methods: Thirty-four patients after 6-weeks of knee immobilization and 37 controls were analyzed. The (VAG) signals were collected during knee flexion/extension using an accelerometer. Patients were tested on the first and last day of the 2-week rehabilitation program. Results: Immobilized knees were characterized by significantly higher values of all VAG parameters when compared to controls (p < 0.001) on the first day. After 2 weeks, the participants in the rehabilitation program that had immobilized knees showed significant improvement in all measurements compared to the baseline condition, p < 0.05. However, patients did not return to normal VAG parameters compared to controls. Conclusion: Immobilization-related changes within the knee cause impairments of arthrokinematic function reflected in VAG signal patterns. The alterations in joint motion after 6 weeks of immobilization may be partially reversible; however, the 2-week physiotherapy program is not sufficient for full recovery.

This study attempts to analyze the relationship between free-throw efficiency and the time of arm muscle activation in players from 3 basketball teams with different levels of experience was investigated. During the experiment each player made 20 free throws during which the activation time of his right and left biceps and triceps brachii muscles were measured with the use of surface electromyography and high-speed cameras. Significant differences in muscle activation time (t) during a free throw were found between the groups of basketball players (p = 0.038) (novices: t = 0.664 ± 0.225 s, intermediate-level players: t = 1.15 ± 0.146 s, experts: t = 1.01 ± 0.388 s). In the right triceps brachii muscle in expert basketball players the coefficient of variation (CV) amounted to 44.60% at 81% efficiency, and in novices to 27.12% at 53% efficiency. The time of arm muscle activation during a free throw and its fluctuations vary along with the training experience of basketball players. In all studied groups of players, the variability of muscle activation time in accurate free throws is greater than in inaccurate free throws. Free-throw speed is irrelevant for free-throw efficiency.