Effects of coffee and caffeine anhydrous on strength and sprint performance

Caffeine and coffee are widely used among active individuals to enhance performance. The purpose of the current study was to compare the effects of acute coffee (COF) and caffeine anhydrous (CAF) intake on strength and sprint performance. Fifty-four resistance-trained males completed strength testing, consisting of one-rep max (1RM) and repetitions to fatigue (RTF) at 80% of 1RM for leg press (LP) and bench press (BP). Participants then completed five, ten-second cycle ergometer sprints separated by one minute of rest. Peak power (PP) and total work (TW) were recorded for each sprint. At least 48 hours later, participants returned and ingested a beverage containing CAF (300 mg flat dose; yielding 3–5 mg/kg bodyweight), COF (8.9 g; 303 mg caffeine), or placebo (PLA; 3.8 g noncaloric flavoring) 30 minutes before testing. LP 1RM was improved more by COF than CAF (p=0.04), but not PLA (p=0.99). Significant interactions were not observed for BP 1RM, BP RTF, or LP RTF (p>0.05). There were no sprint × treatment interactions for PP or TW (p>0.05). 95% confidence intervals revealed a significant improvement in sprint 1 TW for CAF, but not COF or PLA. For PLA, significant reductions were observed in sprint 4 PP, sprint 2 TW, sprint 4 TW, and average TW; significant reductions were not observed with CAF or COF. Neither COF nor CAF improved strength outcomes more than PLA, while both groups attenuated sprint power reductions to a similar degree. Coffee and caffeine anhydrous may be considered suitable pre-exercise caffeine sources for high-intensity exercise

Longitudinal Body Composition Changes in NCAA Division I College Football Players

Many athletes seek to optimize body composition to fit the physical demands of their sport. American football requires a unique combination of size, speed, and power. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate longitudinal changes in body composition in Division I collegiate football players. For 57 players (Mean ± SD; Age=19.5 ± 0.9 yrs; Height=186.9 ± 5.7 cm; Weight=107.7 ± 19.1 kg), body composition was assessed via dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry in the off-season (March-Pre), end of off-season (May), mid-July (Pre-Season), and the following March (March-Post). Outcome variables included weight, body fat percentage (BF%), fat mass (FM), lean mass (LM), android (AND) and gynoid (GYN) fat, bone mineral content (BMC), and bone density (BMD). For a subset of athletes (n=13 out of 57), changes over a 4-year playing career were evaluated with measurements taken every March. Throughout a single year, favorable changes were observed for BF% (Δ=−1.3 ± 2.5%), LM (Δ=2.8 ± 2.8 kg), GYN (Δ=−1.5 ± 3.0%), BMC (Δ=0.06 ± 0.14 kg), and BMD (Δ=0.015 ± 0.027g·cm−2; all p<0.05). Across four years, weight increased significantly (Δ=6.6 ± 4.1kg), and favorable changes were observed for LM (Δ=4.3 ± 3.0 kg), BMC (Δ=0.18 ± 0.17 kg), and BMD (Δ=0.033 ± 0.039 g·cm−2; all p<0.05). Similar patterns in body composition changes were observed for linemen and non-linemen. Results indicate that well-trained collegiate football players at high levels of competition can achieve favorable changes in body composition, even late in the career, which may confer benefits for performance and injury prevention

Effects of Coffee and Caffeine Anhydrous Intake During Creatine Loading

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of 5 d of creatine (CRE) loading alone or in combination with caffeine anhydrous (CAF) or coffee (COF) on upper and lower body strength and sprint performance. Physically active males (n=54; Mean ± SD; Age = 20.1 ± 2.1 yrs; Weight = 78.8 ± 8.8 kg) completed baseline testing, consisting of one-repetition maximum (1RM) and repetitions to fatigue (RTF) with 80% 1RM for bench press (BP) and leg press (LP), followed by a repeated sprint test of five, 10 s sprints separated by 60 s rest on a cycle ergometer to determine peak power (PP) and total power (TP). At least 72 hr later, subjects were randomly assigned to supplement with CRE (5 g creatine monohydrate, 4 times*d−1; n=14), CRE+CAF (CRE + 300 mg*d−1 of CAF; n=13), CRE+COF (CRE + 8.9 g COF, yielding 303 mg caffeine; n=13), or placebo (PLA; n=14) for 5 d. Serum creatinine (CRN) was measured prior to and following supplementation and on day six, participants repeated pre-testing procedures. Strength measures were improved in all groups (p<0.05), with no significant time × treatment interactions. No significant interaction or main effects were observed for PP. For TP, a time × sprint interaction was observed (p<0.05), with no significant interactions between treatment groups. A time × treatment interaction was observed for serum CRN values (p<0.05) that showed increases in all groups except PLA. Four subjects reported mild gastrointestinal discomfort with CRE+CAF, with no side effects reported in other groups. These findings suggest that neither CRE alone, nor in combination with CAF or COF, significantly affected performance compared to PLA

Metabolic characterization of overweight and obese adults

Traditional evaluations of metabolic health may overlook underlying dysfunction in individuals who show no signs of insulin resistance or dyslipidemia. The purpose of this study was to characterize metabolic health in overweight and obese adults using traditional and non-traditional metabolic variables. A secondary purpose was to evaluate differences between overweight/obese and male/female cohorts, respectively

The effects of pomegranate extract on anaerobic exercise performance & cardiovascular responses

During exercise, there is an increased demand for oxygen. Increasing blood flow may provide an ergogenic effect. Dietary nitrate supplementation, such as pomegranate extract (PE), has been linked to reduced vascular resistance, enhanced vasodilation, and increased blood flow to possibly improve exercise efficiency. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of acute PE supplementation on anaerobic exercise, flow mediated dilation (FMD), oxygen saturation (SP02), heart rate (HR), and blood pressure (BP)

A genomic catalog of Earth’s microbiomes

The reconstruction of bacterial and archaeal genomes from shotgun metagenomes has enabled insights into the ecology and evolution of environmental and host-associated microbiomes. Here we applied this approach to >10,000 metagenomes collected from diverse habitats covering all of Earth’s continents and oceans, including metagenomes from human and animal hosts, engineered environments, and natural and agricultural soils, to capture extant microbial, metabolic and functional potential. This comprehensive catalog includes 52,515 metagenome-assembled genomes representing 12,556 novel candidate species-level operational taxonomic units spanning 135 phyla. The catalog expands the known phylogenetic diversity of bacteria and archaea by 44% and is broadly available for streamlined comparative analyses, interactive exploration, metabolic modeling and bulk download. We demonstrate the utility of this collection for understanding secondary-metabolite biosynthetic potential and for resolving thousands of new host linkages to uncultivated viruses. This resource underscores the value of genome-centric approaches for revealing genomic properties of uncultivated microorganisms that affect ecosystem processes

Prognostic model to predict postoperative acute kidney injury in patients undergoing major gastrointestinal surgery based on a national prospective observational cohort study.

Background: Acute illness, existing co-morbidities and surgical stress response can all contribute to postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients undergoing major gastrointestinal surgery. The aim of this study was prospectively to develop a pragmatic prognostic model to stratify patients according to risk of developing AKI after major gastrointestinal surgery. Methods: This prospective multicentre cohort study included consecutive adults undergoing elective or emergency gastrointestinal resection, liver resection or stoma reversal in 2-week blocks over a continuous 3-month period. The primary outcome was the rate of AKI within 7 days of surgery. Bootstrap stability was used to select clinically plausible risk factors into the model. Internal model validation was carried out by bootstrap validation. Results: A total of 4544 patients were included across 173 centres in the UK and Ireland. The overall rate of AKI was 14·2 per cent (646 of 4544) and the 30-day mortality rate was 1·8 per cent (84 of 4544). Stage 1 AKI was significantly associated with 30-day mortality (unadjusted odds ratio 7·61, 95 per cent c.i. 4·49 to 12·90; P < 0·001), with increasing odds of death with each AKI stage. Six variables were selected for inclusion in the prognostic model: age, sex, ASA grade, preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate, planned open surgery and preoperative use of either an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or an angiotensin receptor blocker. Internal validation demonstrated good model discrimination (c-statistic 0·65). Discussion: Following major gastrointestinal surgery, AKI occurred in one in seven patients. This preoperative prognostic model identified patients at high risk of postoperative AKI. Validation in an independent data set is required to ensure generalizability

Proceedings of the Thirteenth International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) Conference and Expo

Meeting Abstracts: Proceedings of the Thirteenth International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) Conference and Expo Clearwater Beach, FL, USA. 9-11 June 201

Effects of coffee and caffeine anhydrous on strength and sprint performance

Caffeine and coffee are widely used among active individuals to enhance performance. The purpose of the current study was to compare the effects of acute coffee (COF) and caffeine anhydrous (CAF) intake on strength and sprint performance. Fifty-four resistance-trained males completed strength testing, consisting of one-rep max (1RM) and repetitions to fatigue (RTF) at 80% of 1RM for leg press (LP) and bench press (BP). Participants then completed five, ten-second cycle ergometer sprints separated by one minute of rest. Peak power (PP) and total work (TW) were recorded for each sprint. At least 48 hours later, participants returned and ingested a beverage containing CAF (300 mg flat dose; yielding 3–5 mg/kg bodyweight), COF (8.9 g; 303 mg caffeine), or placebo (PLA; 3.8 g noncaloric flavoring) 30 minutes before testing. LP 1RM was improved more by COF than CAF (p=0.04), but not PLA (p=0.99). Significant interactions were not observed for BP 1RM, BP RTF, or LP RTF (p>0.05). There were no sprint × treatment interactions for PP or TW (p>0.05). 95% confidence intervals revealed a significant improvement in sprint 1 TW for CAF, but not COF or PLA. For PLA, significant reductions were observed in sprint 4 PP, sprint 2 TW, sprint 4 TW, and average TW; significant reductions were not observed with CAF or COF. Neither COF nor CAF improved strength outcomes more than PLA, while both groups attenuated sprint power reductions to a similar degree. Coffee and caffeine anhydrous may be considered suitable pre-exercise caffeine sources for high-intensity exercise

High-Fat Breakfast Meal Replacement in Overweight and Obesity: Implications on Body Composition, Metabolic Markers, and Satiety

The purpose of this paper was to determine the effect of replacing breakfast with a high-fat drink on fat mass (FM), lean mass (LM), percent body fat (%BF), visceral fat (VAT), resting metabolic rate (RMR), fuel utilization (RER), blood lipids and satiety in overweight and obese adults. Healthy adults (n = 42; 21 Females; body mass index (BMI): 32.8 &#177; 4.6 kg&#183;m&#8722;2) were randomized to control (CON; n = 21) or meal replacement (MRP; n = 22) groups. Body composition was measured using a four-compartment model; RMR and RER were assessed from indirect calorimetry. The MRP (70% fat) was consumed once daily for eight weeks. For males, there was no change (p &gt; 0.05) in FM (mean difference (MD) = 0.41 &#177; 1.19 kg], %BF MD = 0.50 &#177; 1.09%, LM MD = &#8722;0.64 &#177; 1.79 kg, or VAT MD = &#8722;0.31 &#177; 1.36 cm for MRP versus CON. Similarly, no differences for females for FM MD = &#8722;0.73 &#177; 1.37 kg, %BF MD = &#8722;0.57 &#177; 1.26%, LM MD = 0.31 &#177; 1.37 kg, or VAT MD: &#8722;0.83 &#177; 1.2 cm. HDL was significantly reduced in the MRP group for females (adjusted mean change: &#8722;6.41 &#177; 4.44 units, p = 0.018). There was no effect on RMR or RER. Satiety increased in the afternoon for MRP (p = 0.021). Despite high fat, no negative impact on lipids resulted; increased satiety may be beneficial for controlling afternoon cravings, but does not affect body composition