The effects of citrulline malate (CM) on muscle recovery from resistance exercise remains unknown. We aimed to determine if citrulline malate supplementation improves muscle recovery after a single session of high-intensity resistance exercise (RE) in untrained young adult men. Nine young adult men (24.0 ± 3.3 years) participated in a double-blind crossover study in which they received 6 g of CM and placebo (PL) on two occasions, separated by a seven-day washout period. Each occasion consisted of a single session of high-intensity RE (0 h) and three subsequent fatigue tests sessions (at 24, 48, and 72 h) to assess the time course of muscle recovery. During the tests sessions, we assessed the following variables: number of maximum repetitions, electromyographic signal (i.e., root mean square (RMS) and median frequency (MF)), muscle soreness and perceived exertion, as well as blood levels of creatine kinase (CK), lactate, insulin, and testosterone:cortisol ratio. CK levels increased at 24 h post-exercise and remained elevate at 48 and 72 h, with no difference between CM and PL conditions. Muscle soreness increased at 24 h post-exercise, which progressively returned to baseline at 72 h in both conditions. Lactate levels increased immediately post-exercise and remained elevated at 24, 48, and 72 h in both conditions. No significant treatment × time interaction was found for all dependents variables (maximum repetitions, perceived exertion, CK, lactate, RMS, MF, and testosterone:cortisol ratio) during the recovery period. In conclusion, our data indicate that CM supplementation (single 6 g dose pre-workout) does not improve the muscle recovery process following a high-intensity RE session in untrained young adult men.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of free leucine supplementation on changes in skeletal muscle mass and strength during a resistance training (RT) program in previously untrained, young subjects. In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study, 20 healthy young (22 ± 2 years) participants were assigned to two groups: a placebo-supplement group (PLA, N = 10) or a leucine-supplement group (LEU, N = 10). Both groups underwent an 8-week hypertrophic RT program (2 days/week), consuming an equivalent amount of leucine (3.0 g/day in a single post-training dose) or placebo (cornstarch). Quadriceps muscle strength, cross-sectional area (CSA) of the vastus lateralis (VL), and rectus femoris (RF), as well as the habitual dietary intake were assessed before and after the 8-week intervention period. There was a similar improvement in muscle strength (Leg press, LEU: +33% vs. PLA: +37%; P > 0.05, and knee extension, LEU: +31% vs. PLA: 34%; P > 0.05) and CSA (VL, LEU: 8.9% vs. PLA: 9.6%; P > 0.05, and RF, LEU: +21.6% vs. PLA: + 16.4%; P > 0.05) in the both groups from pre- to post-training. In addition, there was no significant (P > 0.05) difference in daily dietary intake between the LEU and PLA groups before and after the intervention period. Free leucine supplementation (3.0 g/day post-training) does not increase muscle strength or CSA during RT in healthy young subjects consuming adequate dietary protein intake.

Resumo Introdução a interação complexa entre fatores sociais, psicológicos e biológicos, que resultam na depressão, poderá acelerar a diminuição da capacidade funcional e, consequentemente, a qualidade de vida do idoso. Objetivo Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo investigar os fatores associados aos indicativos de sintomas depressivos de idosos da atenção básica à saúde de um município do noroeste paranaense. Método Estudo epidemiológico, de corte transversal e base populacional realizado em 12 Unidades Básicas de Saúde (UBS), com 654 homens e mulheres idosos. Foi utilizado um instrumento para caracterização do perfil sociodemográfico dos participantes, assim como o instrumento Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), versão curta. Os dados foram analisados pelo teste de Qui-quadrado e da Regressão de Poisson (p<0,05). Resultados Os resultados evidenciaram que parece existir uma associação dos idosos com boa percepção de saúde (p=0,001), que não ingerem medicamentos (p=0,001), que não sofreram quedas nos últimos seis meses (p=0,011) e que não apresentaram comorbidades (p=0,001), com a ausência de sintomas depressivos. Os idosos com autopercepção de saúde regular (RP = 1,733; 95%IC = 1280-2,347) e ruim (RP = 2,222; 95%IC = 1,525-3,237) demonstraram maior razão de prevalência de presença de indicativo de depressão. Conclusão Conclui-se que os idosos com pior autopercepção de saúde demonstraram maior razão de prevalência de apresentar indicativos de depressão.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of l-arginine supplementation on muscle recovery after a single session of high-intensity resistance exercise (RE). Twenty healthy young adult participants (22.8 ± 3.4 years old) were assigned to 1 of 2 groups (N = 10 per group): a placebo-supplement group or an l-arginine-supplement group. The groups completed a session of high-intensity RE (0 h) and 3 subsequent fatigue test sessions (at 24, 48, and 72 h postexercise) to assess the time course of muscle recovery. During the test sessions, we assessed the following dependent variables: number of maximum repetitions, electromyographic signal (i.e., root mean square (RMS) and median frequency (MF) slope), muscle soreness, perceived exertion, blood levels of creatine kinase (CK) and lactate, and testosterone:cortisol ratio. Number of maximum repetitions increased at 48 and 72 h postexercise in both groups (time, P < 0.05). CK levels and muscle soreness increased at 24 h postexercise and then progressively returned to baseline at 72 h post exercise in both groups (time, P < 0.05). Lactate levels increased immediately postexercise but were reduced at 24 h postexercise in both groups (time, P < 0.05). Testosterone:cortisol ratio, RMS, and MF slope remained unchanged during the recovery period in both groups (time, P > 0.05). No significant (P > 0.05) group × time interaction was found for all dependent variables during the recovery period. In conclusion, our data indicate that l-arginine supplementation does not improve muscle recovery following a high-intensity RE session in young adults.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of training volume (1 vs. 3 sets) on lower-body muscle strength in untrained young men. Methodsː Eighteen untrained young men were recruited and their legs were trained with 1 or 3 sets (in a contralateral design) for 6 weeks, using a knee extension machine. Isokinetic peak torque and one repetition maximum (1RM) were assessed at pre-and post-training. Resultsː There was a similar improvement in the 1RM strength (1SET: +14.8% vs. 3SET: 16.3%, P > 0.05) and peak torque (1SET: +8.1% vs. 3SET: 9.3%, P > 0.05) for both conditions from pre-to post-training. The effect size (ES) for the change in 1RM was moderate for both conditions (1SET: 1.39 vs. 3SET: 1.41), and peak torque was trivial and small for 1SET (0.47) and 3SET (0.55), respectively. Additionally, there were no significant (P > 0.05) differences in the dietary intakes from pre-to posttraining. Conclusionsː Our results indicate that 1 set is as effective as 3 sets for increasing lower-body muscle strength after a short-term RT period (6 weeks) in untrained young men.