Spirulina does not decrease muscle damage nor oxdidative stress in cycling athletes with adequate nutritional status

The objective of this study was to assess the effect of Spirulina maxima on oxidative stress and muscle damage in cycling athletes subjected to high volume and intensity of training. Eighteen male athletes were randomly divided into an experimental group (n=11) with age 27.8±3.5 and placebo (n=7) with age 34.3±2.3 in a double-blind fashion. They carried out a protocol of Spirulina dietary supplementation (7.5 g/day) of placebo for four weeks and maintained their trainings during this period. A nutritional anamnesis was performed and blood tests were done to determine pre and post levels of creatine kinase (CK), lactic dehydrogenase (LHD), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA). The supplemented and placebo groups performed the same volume training, has adequate macronutrients and antioxidant vitamins ingestion before study, as well as initial CK, LDH, SOD and MDA levels. Supplementation did not promote a significant alteration in CK levels on supplemented group (158.4±16.3 for 140.0±16.6 U/l, p>0.05), LDH (420±13.2 for 394.9±27.9 UI/l, p>0.05), MDA (2.8±0.2 for 2.9±0.4 nmol/ml, p>0.05), nor an increase in the SOD (7.3±0.6 for 7.0±0.6 U/mg Hb, p>0.05). We conclude that administration of Spirulina does not interfere in the magnitude of muscle damage nor in antioxidant status of cycling athletes that practice intense training

Prevalence and risk factors for bovine leptospirosis in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

Foi investigada a prevalência de anticorpos antileptospira em fêmeas bovinas com idade igual ou superior a 24 meses, provenientes de 178 rebanhos de 22 municípios do estado de Mato Grosso do Sul, bem como identificados fatores de risco associados à infecção. Foram analisadas 2.573 amostras de soro sangüíneo por meio do teste de soroaglutinação microscópica perante 10 sorovares de leptospira. Títulos iguais ou superiores a 100 para um ou mais sorovares foram detectados em 1.801 fêmeas (98,8%) de 161 (96,5%) rebanhos. O sorovar Hardjo (65,6%) foi apontado como o mais provável, seguido do sorovar Wolffi (12,3%). Os resultados demonstram que a leptospirose bovina se encontra presente em todos os municípios estudados, com alta prevalência, tanto em animais como em rebanhos. Os fatores de risco identificados neste estudo e associados à infecção por bactérias do gênero lepstopira foram o tipo de exploração pecuária de corte e a raça Zebu. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACTThe prevalence of anti-Leptospira spp. antibodies was estimated for female cattle aged 24 months or older. The sample comprised 178 herds from 22 counties in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. The risk factors associated with the presence of infeccion were investigated. A total of 2,573 blood serum samples were tested against 10 leptospira serovars using the microagglutination test (MAT). Titers of 100 or higher for one or more serovars were detected in 1,801 females (98.8%) from 161 herds (96.5%). Serovar Hardjo (65.6%) was the most frequent, followed by serovar Wolffi (12.3%). These results suggest that bovine leptospirosis is widespread in all the counties under study, with a high prevalence both at the animal and the herd level. Beef farms and the Zebu breed were associated to the higher risk of herd infection by leptospiras