Caffeine and Cognitive Functions in Sports: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Cognitive functions are essential in any form of exercise. Recently, interest has mounted in addressing the relationship between caffeine intake and cognitive performance during sports practice. This review examines this relationship through a structured search of the databases Medline/ PubMed and Web of Science for relevant articles published in English from August 1999 to March 2020. The study followed PRISMA guidelines. Inclusion criteria were defined according to the PICOS model. The identified records reported on randomized cross-over studies in which caffeine intake (as drinks, capsules, energy bars, or gum) was compared to an identical placebo situation. There were no filters on participants’ training level, gender, or age. For the systematic review, 13 studies examining the impacts of caffeine on objective measures of cognitive performance or selfreported cognitive performance were selected. Five of these studies were also subjected to metaanalysis. After pooling data in the meta-analysis, the significant impacts of caffeine only emerged on attention, accuracy, and speed. The results of the 13 studies, nevertheless, suggest that the intake of a low/moderate dose of caffeine before and/or during exercise can improve self-reported energy, mood, and cognitive functions, such as attention; it may also improve simple reaction time, choice reaction time, memory, or fatigue, however, this may depend on the research protocols

Analysis of the consumption of sports supplements in elite fencers according to sex and competitive level

Background: The aim of this study was to analyze the consumption of sports supplements (SS) in competitive level fencers and compare differences based on sex and competitive level (international and national). Methods: A total of 49 fencers (18 men and 31 women) of national (n = 16) and international (n = 33) level completed a questionnaire with questions about SS consumption and the possible repercussions on health and / or sports performance. The results were analyzed based on the different categorizations established by the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), as well as by sex and level of competence to which the participants belonged to. Results: 46.9% of fencers have consumed SS with the main motivation being performance improvement (34.2%). Medical doctors were the individuals who were more likely to advise men to consume SS (50.0% vs 5.6%; OR = 3.29 [1.50–7.20]). Friends were most likely to advise women (38.9% vs 8.3%; OR = 1.75 [1.05–2.93]). The most consumed SS were sport drinks (44.9%), vitamin C (43.4%), sport bars (38.8%), and caffeine (28.6%). In regards to the SS categories, it was observed differences in the interaction level·sex in medical supplements (p = 0.017). In addition, there was a higher prevalence of whey protein consumption in women (25.8% vs 0%; p = 0.020) and iron consumption in men (33% vs 6.5%; p = 0.039). Conclusions: The prevalence of SS use in fencers is within the values previously reported in athletes of the same competitive level. There were no differences by sex and competitive level in the total consumption of SS, nor in each of the groups of level of evidence, being sport drinks, bars and caffeine the most consumed SS

ALTERNATIVA METODOLÓGICA INTERDISCIPLINARIA ENTRE EL PROCESO DE ENSEÑANZA APRENDIZAJE DE LA MATEMÁTICA Y LA FÍSICA

From the Cuban Ministry Of Education (MINED), the methodological work constitutes a priority with the emphasis in the interdisciplinary one besides relations this problematic is reflected Senior School Education in order to treat the didactic elements on the relations between Mathematics and Physics. This work shows methodological alternative directed to the teaching - learning process of Mathematics and Physics, also has its theoretical foundation and actions that permit an interdisciplinary work between the two subjects selected. That shows their functions of the organizational levels, the methodological preparation and the lesson. Its application made it possible to verify the transformations in the way of action of teachers in the interdisciplinary methodological work project, which gives in the teaching and learning process of Mathematics and Physics.  Para el Ministerio de Educación cubano (MINED)  constituye una prioridad el trabajo metodológico, con especial énfasis aquel que facilita las relaciones interdisciplinarias. Esta problemática se refleja  además en la Educación Secundaria Básica con el propósito de tratar los elementos didácticos sobre las relaciones entre la Matemática y la Física. La ponencia presenta una alternativa metodológica dirigida al proceso de  enseñanza - aprendizaje de la Matemática y la Física.  Contiene una fundamentación teórica del tema y las acciones que permiten desarrollar un trabajo interdisciplinario entre las dos asignaturas seleccionadas, las que abarcan las funciones de los niveles organizativos, la preparación metodológica  y la clase. Su aplicación posibilitó constatar las transformaciones en el modo de actuación de los docentes en la proyección del trabajo metodológico interdisciplinario, lo que condiciona avances en el proceso de enseñanza aprendizaje de la Matemática y la Física

Percepción de salud, autoestima y autoconcepto físico en persones mayores en función de su actividad física

El propósito de este estudio es analizar la relación existente entre la Autoestima y las dimensiones que definen el Autoconcepto Físico, y la percepción de la salud en personas mayores, en relación con el nivel de práctica de actividad física que realizan. Para ello, 130 participantes de entre 63 y 75 años (M = 67.3 y DT = 3.14), fueron clasificados en dos grupos, personas físicamente activas y personas físicamente inactivas, en función del nivel de actividad física que realizan; a todos se les aplicó la Self-Esteem Scale de Rosenberg, el Physical Self-Perception Profile de Fox y Corbin y el Cuestionario de Salud SF-36 de Ware y Sherbourne. Los resultados ponen de manifiesto la relación positiva que se establece entre ser una persona físicamente activa y los mejores niveles en autoestima, condición física y competencia percibida. Además, se determina que el rol físico y emocional que desempeñan las personas en las rutinas diarias, están en relación respectivamente, con la competencia percibida y la apariencia física.The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between self-esteem and the dimensions that define physical self-concept, and the perception of health in older people, in relation to the level of physical activity practice they perform. To do this, 130 participants between 63 and 75 years old (M = 67.3 and DT = 3.14), were classified into two groups, physically active and physically inactive, depending on the level of physical activity they perform; Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale, Fox and Corbin's Physical Self-Perception Profile, and SF-36 Health Survey from Ware and Sherbourne were all applied to them. The results show the positive relationship established between being a physically active person and the best levels in self-esteem, physical condition and perceived competence. In addition, it is determined that the physical and emotional role played by people in daily routines, are respectively related to perceived competence and physical appearance.O objetivo deste estudo é analisar a relação entre auto-estima e as dimensões que definem o auto-conceito físico, e a percepção de saúde em idosos, em relação ao nível de atividade física que executam. Para isso, 130 participantes com idade 63 a 75 anos (M = 67,3 e SD = 3,14), foram classificados em dois grupos, fisicamente ativos e fisicamente inativos, dependendo do nível da actividade física que realizam; A Self-Esteem Scale de Rosenberg, Physical Self-Perception Profile de Fox y Corbin e o Cuestionario de Salud SF-36 de Ware e Sherbourne, foram todos aplicados a eles. Os resultados mostram a relação positiva estabelecida entre ser uma pessoa fisicamente ativa e os melhores níveis de autoestima, condição física e competência percebida. Além disso, determina-se que o papel físico e emocional desempenhado pelas pessoas nas rotinas diárias esteja relacionado, respectivamente, à competência percebida e à aparência física

Evaluation of Physical Fitness, Body Composition, and Adherence to Mediterranean Diet in Adolescents from Estonia: The AdolesHealth Study

Unhealthy lifestyles, low levels of physical fitness, and adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD) are associated with bad quality of life and the development of a wide range of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The current study aimed to evaluate the level of adherence to the MD in physical fitness performance and body composition parameters in children and adolescents of Estonia. Therefore, 413 adolescents (56% boys) from the city of Tartu completed the Mediterranean Diet Questionnaire (KIDMED) for analyzing the adherence to MD and performed the Alpha Fitness Test for measuring physical fitness and body composition. A 41.67% of low, 44.05% of average, and 14.28% of high adherence to MD was detected, without difference between genders (p = 0.747). In the Alpha Fitness battery, a higher performance was observed in all tests for boys vs. girls (p < 0.05). In relation to body composition, higher height, weight, and waist values were observed in boys (p < 0.05) and a lower body fat percentage (p < 0.01) without differences in body mass index (BMI; p = 0.906). The adherence to the MD is classified as average/low. Gender significantly influences all variables of the Alpha Fitness battery and anthropometrics measures excepting BMI. According the levels of adherence to the MD, no statistically different prevalence was observed for Non-Overweight (N-Oweight), Non-Overfat (N-Ofat), or Non-Overwaist (N-Owaist). Still, a risk factor for Overweight (Oweight) in boys with low adherence was observed in comparison to those with a mid-level of adherence to the MD

Metodología para el trabajo metodológico interdisciplinario en las disciplinas Análisis Matemático y Física, en la formación inicial de la carrera Licenciatura en Educación Matemática

El trabajo tiene como antecedentes una investigación implementada desde el 2014 en la carrera (en liquidación) Licenciatura en Educación: Matemática-Física. Surge ante la necesidad de una preparación efectiva de los docentes de Análisis Matemático y Física que les permita formar un estudiante universitario capaz de solucionar problemas del proceso de enseñanza aprendizaje de la asignatura Matemática, mediante el desarrollo de una cultura matemática sustentada en la utilización de enfoques interdisciplinarios. El acercamiento empírico al estado de los elementos antes expuestos, demostró que los docentes de la carrera tienen insuficiencias en el trabajo metodológico con enfoque interdisciplinario. Para su solución se trazó el objetivo de ofrecer una metodología para el trabajo metodológico interdisciplinario en las disciplinas Análisis Matemático y Física, en la Licenciatura en Educación. Matemática, que contribuya a la formación y desarrollo de un pensamiento interdisciplinario en los estudiantes. Se emplearon métodos científicos como: la observación participante; encuestas; entrevistas en profundidad; análisis de los productos de la actividad; análisis y crítica de fuentes, análisis-síntesis, inducción-deducción, histórico-lógico; estudio de caso y el método sistémico. Como procedimiento se utilizó la triangulación. La puesta en práctica de la Metodología obtuvo resultados en el empleo, por los docentes, de la interdisciplinariedad como filosofía de trabajo en la dirección del proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje del Análisis Matemático. Contribuyó a la orientación profesional pedagógica y la formación laboral investigativa. Se arriba a la conclusión que la preparación de estos docentes constituye prioridad para cumplir los requerimientos del plan de estudio “E”, lo cual implica actualizar los fundamentos y directrices organizativo-metodológicas que orientan la concepción de su preparación. La aplicación de la metodología ha permitido un análisis integral del proceso formativo de los estudiantes de la carrera, la preparación de los docentes para el trabajo interdisciplinario y el mejoramiento de su desempeño.Palabras Clave: Análisis Matemático, Física, metodología, nodos cognitivos, preparación y trabajo metodológico interdisciplinari

Use of Sports Supplements in Competitive Handball Players: Sex and Competitive Level Differences

Sports supplements are commonly used by elite athletes with the main goal of enhancing sport performance. Supplements use might be substantially different depending on the sport discipline, sex, and competitive level. To date, data about prevalence and the most-commonly used supplements in handball are scarce. Thus, the aim of this investigation was to determine the patterns of supplements use by handball players of both sexes and with different competitive levels: One hundred and eighty-seven handball players (112 men and 75 women) of different competitive levels (106 professional and 81 amateur) completed a validated self-administered questionnaire about supplements use. Supplements were classified according to the categorization of the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS). Overall, 59.9% of the handball players (n = 112) declared the use of at least one supplement and there were no significant differences between men and women (58.9% vs. 61.3%, p = 0.762) nor between professional vs. amateur handball players (67.1% vs. 53.8%, p = 0.074). The most prevalent supplements were sports drinks (42.2%), followed by energy bars (35.3%) and caffeine-containing products (31.6%). However, a greater consumption of group A supplements (those with strong scientific evidence; p = 0.029) and group B supplements (those with emerging scientific support, p = 0.012) was observed in male compared to female handball players. Supplements categorized as medical supplements were more commonly consumed in professional vs. amateur players (0.48 ± 0.80 vs. 0.21 ± 0.44, supplements p < 0.006). Additionally, a higher consumption of group B supplements was observed in professional compared to amateur players (0.58 ± 0.88 vs. 0.33 ± 0.72 supplements, p = 0.015). Handball players revealed a moderate use of supplements while sex and competitive level slighted changed the pattern of supplements use. A high portion of handball players use supplements as fuel during exercise and reported the use of caffeine-containing supplements to enhance performance.Universidad Francisco de Vitoria UFV-2020/4

UNA CONCEPCIÓN PEDAGÓGICA PARA EL TRABAJO METODOLÓGICO INTERDISCIPLINARIO EN LOS NIVELES ORGANIZATIVOS FUNCIONALES

The preparation of school leaders is a process that is constantly enriched in the exercise of their profession. Its current design generates changes in design from the workplace, hence the social need to understand the place of the interdisciplinary methodological work and the matching points that exist in nature. Both are complemented and constitute pivots to raise the quality of education in Cuba. The written report presents an educational experience that is implemented in the preparation of management for interdisciplinary methodological work on the functional organizational levels. It contains the theoretical foundation of the subject and actions used to develop the experience. Its application favored the improvement of the educational process and enabled an interdisciplinary thinking on school management as an essential premise for them to transmit mindset and carry out all their teachers with an interdisciplinary approach.La preparación de los directivos escolares constituye un proceso continuo y permanente que se enriquece constantemente en el ejercicio de su profesión. Su concepción actual genera cambios en su diseño desde el puesto de trabajo, de ahí la necesidad social de comprender el lugar que ocupa el trabajo metodológico interdisciplinario y los puntos coincidentes que existen por naturaleza. Ambas categoría se complementan y constituyen pivotes para elevar la calidad de la Educación en Cuba. El informe escrito presenta una experiencia pedagógica que se implementa en la preparación de los directivos para el trabajo metodológico interdisciplinario en los niveles organizativos funcionales. Contiene la fundamentación teórica del tema y las acciones que permitieron desarrollar la experiencia. Su aplicación favoreció el perfeccionamiento del proceso docente educativo y posibilitó un pensamiento interdisciplinario en los directivos escolares como premisa esencial para que puedan transmitir forma de pensar y proceder a todos sus docentes con un enfoque interdisciplinar

Effect of beet juice supplementation (BJ) on neuromuscular response: a systematic review

El zumo de remolacha (ZR) es una fuente nutricional rica en nitrato (NO3 - ) que, una vez ingerido, es reducido a óxido nítrico (ON). El ON posee efectos hipotensores, anti-inflamatorios y provoca mejoras en la eficiencia mitocondrial y en la regulación de la contractilidad muscular. Distintas investigaciones han comprobado que la suplementación con ZR presenta un efecto ergogénico en modalidades de resistencia cardiorrespiratoria y esfuerzos explosivos e intermitentes de alta intensidad. Sin embargo, dado que ninguna revisión ha valorado el efecto de la suplementación con ZR sobre la producción de fuerza muscular, el objetivo de la presente revisión sistemática es analizar el efecto de la suplementación con ZR sobre el rendimiento en la fuerza muscular. La búsqueda mediante palabras clave y conectores booleanos se realizó en las bases de datos Dialnet, Directory of Open Access Journals, Medline, Pubmed, Scielo, Scopus y SPORTDiscus. La estrategia de búsqueda empleada fue la siguiente: (nitrate OR beet*) AND (concepto 2) (supplement* OR nutr* OR diet*) AND (concepto 3) (strength OR «resistance exercise» OR «resistance training» OR «muscular power»). Tras la aplicación de los criterios de inclusión, un total de 14 artículos fueron seleccionados para la revisión. En la revisión se ha comprobado como la suplementación con ZR puede tener un efecto ergogénico sobre la producción de fuerza muscular bajo estimulación eléctrica, así como sobre la producción de potencia sobre contracciones isocinéticas únicamente a altas velocidades angulares, siendo el mecanismo explicativo una potenciación de la capacidad contráctil específicamente en las fibras musculares tipo II.Beet juice (BJ) is a nutritional source rich in nitrate (NO3 - ) which, after ingestion, is reduced to nitric oxide (NO). NO has effects such as reduction in arterial pressure, anti-inflammatory effects, enhancement of mitochondrial efficiency, and regulation of muscle contractility. Different studies have reported that BJ supplementation has an ergogenic effect in modalities of cardiorespiratory endurance and explosive and intermittent high intensity efforts. Nevertheless, no review has assessed the effect of BJ supplementation on muscle strength production. Thus, the objective of this systematic review is to analyse the effect of BJ supplementation on muscle strength performance. The search using keywords and Boolean connectors was carried out in the databases Dialnet, Directory of Open Access Journals, Medline, Pubmed, Scielo, Scopus, and SPORTDiscus. The search strategy used was the following: (nitrate OR beet *) AND (concept 2) (supplement * OR nutr * OR diet *) AND (concept 3) (strength OR «resistance exercise» OR «resistance training» OR «muscular power «). After the application of the inclusion criteria, a total of 14 articles were selected for review. The review has shown how BJ supplementation can have an ergogenic effect on the production of muscle strength under electrical stimulation, as well as on the production of power over isokinetic contractions only at high angular speeds, the explanatory mechanism being a potentiation of the contractile capacity specifically in type II muscle fibers

Efectos de la fatiga sobre la actividad muscular durante sucesivos test de sentadilla (30 seg).

Resumen:  Introducción: La fatiga se define como la incapacidad del Sistema neuromuscular para mantener un nivel determinado de potencia. La monitorización de la pérdida de Altura de salto ha sido utilizada como un indicador de fatiga muscular. La Electromiografía (EMG) es también una herramienta adecuada para determinar la fatiga ya que tiene una alta correlación con las unidades motoras activas (reclutamiento de fibras musculares). El objetivo del presente estudio es evaluar los efectos de la fatiga sobre la actividad muscular en las extremidades inferiores durante sucesivos test de media sentadilla (30 segundos). Métodos: 5 sujetos sanos entrenados participaron en el estudio. Realizaron 2 sesiones de test, un test de potencia máxima de media sentadilla y 4 series de un test de capacidad anaeróbica de media sentadilla (30 seg.). Resultados: Se observaron diferencias significativas (P=0.002) en la comparativa de los efectos inter-sujetos (Vasto lateral vs. Recto femoral). Observamos también diferencias significativas en la comparación por pares (P<0.001). Conclusiones: Observamos cómo la fatiga modifica la activación neuromuscular del vasto lateral y el recto femoral durante la ejecución de 4 test consecutivos de media sentadilla (30 seg.).Peer Reviewe