Impacts of a Novel Non-Stimulant-Based Ergogenic Supplement Blend on Maximal Oxygen Uptake and Time to Fatigue: A Pilot Study

CrossFit athletes are frequently subjected to high-intensity training sessions that demand commensurately robust muscular and cardiovascular endurance capacities. Despite the propensity of research investigating the role of aerobically-associated ergogenic aids, few have elucidated their combination in highly trained athletic populations. PURPOSE: to evaluate the preliminary efficacy of a novel supplement comprising several empirically-supported ingredients and their potential ability to impact the aerobic performance in experienced CrossFit athletes. METHODS: Six experienced CrossFit athletes (3M/3F; aged 41±13y; training 5±1 times/week) ingested 2.0mL daily of a novel supplement proprietary formulation (Flow, Cerus, Vero Bleach, FL) containing Beetroot (Beta Vulgaris), Ashwagandha (Withania Somnifera), Arjuna (Terminalia Arjuna), Rhodiola (Rhodiola Rosea), as well as Cayenne (Capsicum Annuum) for 28 days between a baseline and post-supplementation maximal oxygen consumption (VO2MAX) assessment. Participants were asked not to change their exercise habits and consumed the aforementioned supplement 30 minutes prior to each training session and/or during the morning on rest days. A 4.0mL supplement dose was additionally administered 30 minutes prior to the post-supplementation aerobic capacity assessment. Both the treadmill VO2MAX and test time-to-fatigue (elapsed finish-start time) were analyzed using separate paired-samples t-tests at a significance level of pRESULTS: Although VO2MAX did not significantly increase (p=.146; Hedge’s G=.737), the participants’ treadmill assessment TTE demonstrated a statistically significant improvement (p=.012, Hedge’s G=.726) from pre- to post-supplementation (10.67 to 12.11 minutes [13.55%], respectively). Notably, the 2/6 participants that experienced pre- to post-supplementation VO2MAX decrements tested positive for COVID-19 during their supplementation period. CONCLUSION: The present pilot study showcases the potential of a novel aerobically-associated ergogenic supplement. Nevertheless, future research should more rigorously evaluate these data by employing a randomized, double-blinded, and placebo-controlled design, as well as a larger sample size before any definitive conclusions may be inferred

The Impacts of Wrist Wrap Type and Sex on Bench Press Muscular Strength and Power

While wrist wraps have become increasingly prevalent in both competitive and recreational demographics, their posited ability to augment bench press performance by enhanced wrist stability still remains unclear. PURPOSE: To determine the effect of varying wrap styles on bench-specific muscular strength and associated power, as well as quantitative and subjective differences between sexes. METHODS: Eighteen resistance trained males and females (9M/9F; 24±4y; 176±33cm; 80±15kg) visited the laboratory on three separate occasions in randomized, crossover, and counterbalanced design to sport either a flexible wrist wrap (FW), stiff wrap (SW), or a no wrap control (NW) condition. All participants underwent a bench press one-repetition maximum (1RM) test and linear position transducer-derived peak power and velocity assessments. Furthermore, subjective stability (SS) and discomfort (SD) were determined promptly following 1RM attempts. Bench press performance and sex-collapsed subjective variables were analyzed using a two-way (condition x sex) mixed model ANOVA with repeated measures and a nonparametric Friedman’s ANOVA, respectively. Both analyses were performed at a p\u3c.05 significance level. RESULTS: Analyses failed to detect any main condition or interaction effects for bench press 1RM, however, a statistically significant main sex effect was observed (p\u3c.001; ηp2=.597) favoring males relative to females (p\u3c.001; 114±22kg vs 68±16kg). Both peak power and velocity failed to reveal any significant main condition or sex effects, nor any interactions. Nonparametric assessments further revealed significant wrist wrap condition effects for both SS (p\u3c.001; Kendall’s W=.628) and SD (p\u3c.001; Kendall’s W=.935), whereby NW was statistically more comfortable (p\u3c.001) than either wrap condition, without any difference between DW and SW (p\u3e.05). CONCLUSION: Although wrist wraps did not significantly alter bench press-specific strength and power, participants nonetheless perceived wrist wraps as subjectively more stable irrespective of increased discomfort. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: The authors of this abstract would like to thank Peter Spence and SBD Apparel for generously donating the wrist wraps utilized in the present investigation

LGD-4033 and MK-677 Use Impacts Body Composition, Circulating Biomarkers, and Skeletal Muscle Androgenic Hormone and Receptor Content: A Case Report

LGD-4033, a selective androgen receptor modulator, and MK-677, a growth hormone secretagogue, are being used increasingly amongst recreationally active demographics. However, limited data exist describing their effects on health- and androgen-related biomarkers. The purpose of this case study was to determine changes in body composition and biomarkers during and after continued co-administration of LGD-4033 and MK-677. We also aimed to examine muscular strength and intramuscular androgen-associated biomarkers relative to non-users. A 25-year-old male ingested LGD-4033 (10 mg) and MK-677 (15 mg) daily for 5 weeks. Blood and body composition metrics were obtained pre-, on- and post-cycle. One-repetition maximum leg and bench press, in addition to intramuscular androgens and androgen receptor content, were analysed on-cycle. We observed pre- to on-cycle changes in body composition (body mass, +6.0%; total lean body mass, +3.1%; trunk lean body mass, +6.6%; appendicular lean body mass, +4.3%; total fat mass, +15.4%; trunk fat mass, +2.8%; and appendicular fat mass, +14.8%), bone (bone mineral content, −3.60%; area, −1.1%; and bone mineral density, −2.1%), serum lipid-associated biomarkers (cholesterol, +14.8%; triglycerides, +39.2%; low-density lipoprotein–cholesterol, +40.0%; and high-density lipoprotein–cholesterol, −36.4%), liver-associated biomarkers (aspartate aminotransferase, +95.8%; and alanine aminotransferase, +205.0%) and androgen-associated biomarkers (free testosterone, −85.7%; total testosterone, −62.3%; and sex hormone-binding globulin, −79.6%); however, all variables returned to pre-cycle values post-cycle, apart from total fat mass, appendicular fat mass, bone area, total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein–cholesterol. Follicle-stimulating hormone was below clinical reference values on- (1.2 IU/L) and post-cycle (1.3 IU/L). Intramuscular androgen receptor (−44.6%), testosterone (+47.8%) and dihydrotestosterone (+34.4%), in addition to one-repetition maximum leg press and bench press (+39.2 and +32.0%, respectively), were different in the case subject compared with non-users. These data demonstrate that LGD-4033 and MK-677 increase several body composition parameters, whilst negatively impacting bone and several serum biomarkers. Given the sparsity of data in recreationally using demographics, further research is warranted to elucidate the acute and chronic physiological effects of these anabolic agents

Impacts of Creatine Supplementation on Running Anaerobic Sprint Performance Test (RAST) Power and Velocity in Youth Soccer Players

Creatine supplementation commonly enhances short-term, high-intensity effort performance such the soccer-specific ability to perform repeated sprints. Research in this regard is both generally sparse but specifically more so in youth athletes. PURPOSE: to determine the effect of 28 days of creatine monohydrate supplementation on running anaerobic sprint performance (RAST) power and velocity in youth soccer players. METHODS: Sixteen male youth soccer players were randomized in double-blinded, parallel-group fashion to either 28 days of creatine supplementation (CRE; 15.9±0.35y) or an equivalently-dosed dextrose (PLA; 15.5±0.54y; 0.3g/kg/d loading dose for the first seven days, followed by 0.03g/kg/d for the remaining period), whereby they maintained their typical diet and training routines throughout the study. Furthermore, all subjects measured their weight and performed two RAST tests both prior to (PRE) and following (POST) supplementation, consisting of 10 second rest intervals between six maximal 35m runs. RAST peak and mean values for power and velocity were determined via a Speed Test FIT CEFISE photocell system. Due to the data’s distribution, individual appropriate within- and between-group nonparametric analyses were employed to assess PRE-to-POST supplementation mean and peak power (mP and pP) and velocity (mV and pV) at a significance level of p\u3c.05. RESULTS: Neither power parameter (mP and pP) nor pV differed PRE-to-POST or between groups (p\u3e.05). Nevertheless, nonparametric analyses revealed statistically significant mV differences (p=.025), whereby post-supplementation CRE was greater (23.7±1.64km/h) compared to both PRE in either group (CRE-PRE: 22.9±1.81km/h; PLA-PRE: 22.1±0.638km/h) and relative to PLA post-supplementation (22.2±1.15km/h). CONCLUSION: Although creatine supplementation did not meaningfully enhance RAST-associated power nor peak velocity, it did enhance mean velocity in youth soccer athletes. Notwithstanding our limited ability to claim a creatine-mediated performance advantage in this and similar demographics, future research should corroborate and further support these data by employing a standardized training protocol to eliminate additional extraneous variables

The Prevalence of Wrist Wrap Use in Actively Competing Powerlifters

Wrist wraps are often ergogenically employed by competitive powerlifters to improve bench press performance, but several product-specific variations may impact any potential benefits. Moreover, the prevalence of athletic wrist wrap use is hitherto undescribed. PURPOSE: to characterize the pervasiveness of wrist wrap use amongst competitive powerlifters with regards to style (flexible [F] or stiff [S]), length, and tightness amongst competitive powerlifters. METHODS: Powerlifters (n = 70; 27±6y) who competed in the last two years were randomly recruited at sanctioned meets across the USA. After providing consent and following a 5-minute seated rest, participant wrist wrap use descriptive data (wrap style [F or S], wrap length, and events used) were collected. Additionally, wrap tightness was assessed via pulse oximeter-detected oxygen saturation (SpO2). Post-meet bench press one repetition maximum (1RM) was also recorded from the Openpowerlifting.com open database. Wrist wrap use prevalence data (wrap style [F or S], wrap length, and events used) were assessed across Central, West Coast, and East Coast regions via separate Pearson’s Chi-squared tests. Furthermore, the relationships between both region-collapsed wrapped SpO2 and bench press 1RM were assessed using Pearson’s product-moment correlations and all statistical analyses were set at a significance level of pRESULTS: Analyses failed to detect any significant regional differences in wrap style, length, or events used (p\u3e0.05). Furthermore, there was a weak, negative correlation between wrapped SpO2 and bench press 1RM (r = -0.393, p = 0.086). CONCLUSIONS: Although we failed to detect any significant relationships between performance and wrap tightness, actively competing powerlifters nonetheless prominently utilize wraps similarly across the US regions assessed. Therefore, the potential for wrist wraps to augment bench press performance warrants further elucidation in a controlled, standardized investigation

Guided optimization of fluid status in haemodialysis patients

Background. Achieving normohydration remains a non-trivial issue in haemodialysis therapy. Guiding the haemodialysis patient on the path between fluid overload and dehydration should be the clinical target, although it can be difficult to achieve this target in practice. Objective and clinically applicable methods for the determination of the normohydration status on an individual basis are needed to help in the identification of an appropriate target weight

The bear in Eurasian plant names: Motivations and models

Ethnolinguistic studies are important for understanding an ethnic group's ideas on the world, expressed in its language. Comparing corresponding aspects of such knowledge might help clarify problems of origin for certain concepts and words, e.g. whether they form common heritage, have an independent origin, are borrowings, or calques. The current study was conducted on the material in Slavonic, Baltic, Germanic, Romance, Finno-Ugrian, Turkic and Albanian languages. The bear was chosen as being a large, dangerous animal, important in traditional culture, whose name is widely reflected in folk plant names. The phytonyms for comparison were mostly obtained from dictionaries and other publications, and supplemented with data from databases, the co-authors' field data, and archival sources (dialect and folklore materials). More than 1200 phytonym use records (combinations of a local name and a meaning) for 364 plant and fungal taxa were recorded to help find out the reasoning behind bear-nomination in various languages, as well as differences and similarities between the patterns among them. Among the most common taxa with bear-related phytonyms were Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (L.) Spreng., Heracleum sphondylium L., Acanthus mollis L., and Allium ursinum L., with Latin loan translation contributing a high proportion of the phytonyms. Some plants have many and various bear-related phytonyms, while others have only one or two bear names. Features like form and/or surface generated the richest pool of names, while such features as colour seemed to provoke rather few associations with bears. The unevenness of bear phytonyms in the chosen languages was not related to the size of the language nor the present occurence of the Brown Bear in the region. However, this may, at least to certain extent, be related to the amount of the historical ethnolinguistic research done on the selected languages

Magnetite at Low Temperature: Resonant Inelastic X-ray Scattering (RIXS) at the Fe K-edge

At room temperature, magnetite (cubic inverse spinel structure, Fd-3m s.g.) shows metal-like electrical conductivity, which discontinuously drops by two orders of magnitude below ca. 120 K (TV). This is due to a first-order phase transition, where the cubic structure is distorted to monoclinic symmetry (Cc s.g.). Models for this metal-insulator transition are still highly debated. We performed 1s3p as well 1s2p RIXS measurements well below and above TV on a sample of synthetic magnetite powder to probe any difference present in the electronic states. Neither 1s3p nor 1s2p RIXS spectra reveal any differences between the two phases. Our observations are consistent with earlier EXAFS data and indicate no changes in the local structural geometry around Fe