Effects of different dosages of caffeine administration on wrestling performance during a simulated tournament

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of different forms of caffeine administration on physical performance during a simulated wrestling tournament. In a double-blind and randomized experiment, twelve male freestyle wrestlers competed in a simulated wrestling tournament (5 wrestling matches consisting of 2×3-min wrestling rounds) following the ingestion of: a placebo, a high-dose of caffeine (10 mg/kg), a moderate-dose caffeine (4 mg/kg), a repeated-dose caffeine (2 mg/kg before each match to a total of 10 mg/kg) or a selective caffeine administration based on performance decrement previously measured (6.16±1.58 mg/kg). The Pittsburgh Wrestling Performance Test (PWPT) was measured before each match to assess physical performance. In comparison to the placebo, the high dose of caffeine only reduced PWPT time before the first match (56.8±2.0 vs. 52.9±1.8 s; p < 0.05). The moderate dose of caffeine did not affect PWPT performance during the tournament. Both, the repeated dose and the selective administration of caffeine reduced PWPT time with respect to the placebo in the third (66.7±1.8 vs. ~63.1±1.4 s; p < 0.05) and fourth matches (72.3±2.4 vs. ~65.9±1.3 s; p < 0.05). However, only the selective dose of caffeine reduced PWPT time before the fifth match (62.7±3.0 vs. 56.3±2.0; p < 0.05). The dosage and administration of caffeine affect the ergogenic effects obtained following the ingestion of this substance. An individualized protocol to provide caffeine when physical performance is expected to be reduced might improve wrestling performance during the latter stages of a tournament

Acute Responses of Cytokines and Adipokines to Aerobic Exercise in Relapsing vs. Remitting Women with Multiple Sclerosis

Objective: To examine the acute effect of exercise on cytokines and adipokines during relapse and the remitting phase of multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods: Thirty women with MS in the relapsing or remitting phase were matched with fifteen healthy controls. Participants performed a single-bout of aerobic exercise at 60-70% maximal heart rate. Furthermore, five women in the relapsing phase were enrolled (control relapse) and did not receive any intervention. Blood samples were taken before, immediately after, 1-hour and 6-hours after the exercise. Results: Levels of IL-10 and TNF-α in response to exercise were similar in healthy and MS remitting subjects. Compared to baseline, TNF-α levels in relapsing subjects were significantly decreased immediately after exercise. Immediately following exercise, leptin levels significantly decreased in relapsing subjects. Adiponectin and IL-6 showed no significant difference between groups. Conclusion: After relapse, exercise does not induce inflammatory cytokine response and temporarily improves both cytokine and adipokine balance

Effect of 8-Week Resistance Training on Hypertrophy, Strength, and Myostatin Concentration in Old and Young Men

Objectives The decline in muscle mass and strength, which are associated with aging, is called sarcopenia. Resistance training is one of the effective methods to deal with sarcopenia. Correspondingly, this study aimed to investigate the effect of 8-week resistance training on muscle mass, strength, and myostatin concentration in old and young men. Methods & Materials The present study included 14 old men (age range of 55 to 70 years) and 11 young ones (age range of 20 to 35 years) who were randomly chosen from the volunteers. They participated in a progressive resistance training (gradual increase in training load, 50% of one repetition maximum in the first week to 85% in the eighth week) for 8 weeks, 3 days a week. Daily calorie intake, strength, muscle mass, muscle cross-sectional area (by CT scan), and myostatin concentration were measured before and after the training. Results The findings of the study indicated that after 8 weeks of training, muscle strength significantly increased in the old group in comparison with the young group (P0.05). Quadriceps muscle mean (SD) cross-sectional area of the young group (pretest: 76.03[12.21] cm2 compared to posttest: 79.16[11.54] cm2) significantly increased (P 0.05). Also, there was a significant correlation between myostatin concentration with muscle mass in old men (r=0.73, P<0.05). Conclusion Resistance training was associated with a decline in myostatin level and increase in the muscle mass and cross-sectional area. Hence, the beneficial effect of resistance training may decrease age-related muscle atrophy and affect elderly health

Skeletal muscle hypertrophy, insulin-like growth factor 1, myostatin and follistatin in healthy and sarcopenic elderly men:the effect of whole-body resistance training

Background: Sarcopenia describes the inevitable deterioration in muscle mass and strength that accompanies biological aging. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of resistance training (RT) on quadriceps hypertrophy and related biochemistry in sarcopenic and healthy elderly men. Methods : A total of 31 elderly men (55–70 years old) were classified as sarcopenic and nonsarcopenic and were divided into two groups. Both groups participated in a progressive RT program for 8 weeks. Results: Data indicated that the strength in the sarcopenic group increased more than the healthy group ( P < 0.05). Quadriceps cross‑sectional area also increased more in the healthy group ( P < 0.05). Myostatin concentration decreased in both groups after training ( P < 0.05). Follistatin and testosterone increased in the healthy group; in contrast, only testosterone increased in the sarcopenic group after training ( P < 0.05). Conclusions: The findings from this study suggest that RT improves muscle cross‑sectional area and biomarker‑related muscle loss in both healthy and sarcopenic elderly men. The findings also demonstrate that growth factor profiles at baseline and changes in testosterone levels play an important role in muscle hypertrophy observed in both groups