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PubMed2001

Food sources of calcium in a sample of African-American an Euro-American collegiate athletes.

Adequate calcium intake is integral to bone health as well as for optimal athletic performance. This study was conducted to investigate: (a) food sources of calcium in a sample of collegiate athletes, (b) gender and/or ethnic differences in food sources of calcium, and (c) whether athletes that derive less of their calcium intake from dairy sources increase their calcium intake from supplements or other food sources. Participants were African-American and Euro-American NCAA Division 1-A athletes. Eighty-five men and 59 women participated. Calcium intake for the previous 7-day period was assessed with a brief calcium screen. Men consumed significantly more calcium than women (1,354 vs. 898 mg/day), with female cross-country runners exhibiting the lowest average intake (605 mg/day). Both men and women obtained the majority of their calcium from dairy products and mixed dishes, while men consumed significantly more calcium-fortified foods. Several gender and ethnic interactions for calcium intake from food groups were found. Mean total dairy calcium intake was found to vary according to total calcium intake in men, and supplemental calcium was not used to augment low dairy intakes of calcium in any group. While African-Americans and Euro-Americans athletes were consuming similar levels of calcium, the female athletes in the sample did not get adequate amounts.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Master athletes.

Over the past 3 decades, there has been a continued increase in the number of "older" participants in sporting events such as running, swimming, cycling, rowing, and weightlifting. Some master athletes come from a background with years of training and competition experience, while others have only begun to compete as they approach middle-aged and older. The majority of what we currently know about master athletes and aging has been gained from both cross-sectional and longitudinal testing and re-testing master athletes and recreational athletes. The focus of this paper is on the physiological profile of athletes and individuals performing regular exercise training. Physiological data from elite and non-elite, recreational, sedentary, and senior athletes clearly indicate that human skeletal muscle has a high degree of plasticity that is maintained late into life. Muscle fiber protein expression and single muscle fiber contractile properties are greatly influenced by exercise training. It appears that skeletal muscle can quickly adapt to accommodate a wide range of functionality to meet the demands (or lack of demands) placed upon it.

Aging↗
PubMed2005

Oxidative stress and antioxidants in athletes undertaking regular exercise training.

Exercise has been shown to increase the production of reactive oxygen species to a point that can exceed antioxidant defenses to cause oxidative stress. Dietary intake of antioxidants, physical activity levels, various antioxidants and oxidative stress markers were examined in 20 exercise-trained "athletes" and 20 age- and sex-matched sedentary "controls." Plasma F2-isoprostanes, antioxidant enzyme activities, and uric acid levels were similar in athletes and sedentary controls. Plasma alpha-tocopherol and beta-carotene were higher in athletes compared with sedentary controls. Total antioxidant capacity tended to be lower in athletes, with a significant difference between male athletes and male controls. Dietary intakes of antioxidants were also similar between groups and well above recommended dietary intakes for Australians. These findings suggest that athletes who consume a diet rich in antioxidants have elevated plasma alpha-tocopherol and beta-carotene that were likely to be brought about by adaptive processes resulting from regular exercise.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Dietary supplement use by varsity athletes at a Canadian university.

The purpose of this study was to assess reasons for and prevalence of supplement use among varsity athletes and nonvarsity athlete students (controls) at a Canadian university. A questionnaire, distributed to 247 varsity athletes and 204 controls, included variables regarding sports participation, supplements used, reasons for usage, perceived effects, and areas of interest about supplements. Response rates were 85.5% among varsity athletes and 44.6% among controls. Supplements were used by 98.6% of varsity athletes and 94.3% of controls. Varsity men most often reported using sports drinks, and used these (and carbohydrate gels, protein powder, and creatine) more than varsity women. Caffeine products were most often reported by other groups. Health professionals and the Internet were the most reported information sources, while friends most often recommended supplements. Many subjects indicated knowing little about supplements and wanting to learn more. Results indicate a need for nutrition education among both varsity athletes and university students.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Altered vitamin B12 status in recreational endurance athletes.

This study aimed to compare the vitamin B(12)and folate status of recreational endurance athletes and inactive controls by modern biomarkers. In 72 athletes (38 +/- 7 y) and 46 inactive controls (38 +/- 9 y) serum levels of vitamin B(2), methylmalonic acid (MMA), holotranscobalamin II (holoTC), folate, and homocysteine (Hcy) were measured. Vitamin B(12)and folate levels of both groups were comparable, but athletes had higher median (25.-75. percentile) MMA [242 (196 to 324) versus 175 (141 to 266) nmol/L] and holoTC concentrations [67 (52 to 93) versus 55 (45 to 70) pmol/L] than controls. Hcy was slightly lower in athletes [9.2 (7.2 to 12.6) versus 10.8 (8.9 to 12.9) nmol/L]. In controls, we found the following correlations: vitamin B(12)and MMA (r = -0.38), vitamin B(12)and holoTC (r = 0.51), MMA and holoTC (r = -0.36). In athletes, MMA did not correlate with vitamin B(12)and holoTC. Our data suggests an altered vitamin B(12)metabolism in recreational athletes that needs further investigation.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Age at menarche in Nigerian athletes.

The subjects of the study were 418 highly successful female athletes and 512 female non-athletes drawn from all over Nigeria. Recall procedures were used to ascertain the age at menarche. The study gave the following results: In general, over-all mean menarcheal age of athletes (14.13 years) was significantly higher (p less than .05) than that of non-athletes (13.57 years). Menarche was significantly (p less than .05) delayed (14.41 years) in those athletes (n = 272) who started physical activities before the onset of menstruation. The mean menarcheal age of non-athletes i.e. general population was significantly lower (p less than .05) than that established thirty years ago in Nigerian women.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

A comparative study of rural athletes of four states of India.

In the present study 22 rural athletes of four different states of India have been studied for 23 anthropometric parameters--weight, height, sitting height, six diameters, six circumferences and eight skin and subcutaneous tissue folds. Rural athletes of Punjab and Haryana have been found to be comparable pertaining to all the anthropometric variables. Athletes of Madhya Pradesh show minimum values for most of the variables. The order of best anthropometry is athletes of Punjab and Haryana followed by Assam and Madhya Pradesh. Athletes of Madhya Pradesh are lacking behind in all the parameters except skin and subcutaneous tissue folds as compared to athletes of Assam.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Clinical investigation of athletes with persistent fatigue and/or recurrent infections.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether underlying medical conditions contribute to the fatigue and high incidence of infections that can occur during repeated intense training. METHOD: Forty one competitive athletes (22 male, 19 female) with persistent fatigue and/or recurrent infections associated with performance decrements had a thorough medical examination and a series of clinical investigations to identify potential medical causes. RESULTS: Conditions with the potential to cause fatigue and/or recurrent infections were identified in 68% of the athletes. The most common were partial humoral immune deficiency (28%) and unresolved viral infections (27%). Non-fasting hypoglycaemia was common (28%). Other conditions included allergic disease (15%), new or poorly controlled asthma (13%), upper airway dysfunction (5%), sleep disorders (15%), iron depletion (3%), and one case of a thyroid disorder. A positive antinuclear antibody was detected in 21% of the athletes, without any clinical evidence of autoimmune disorders. Evidence of Epstein-Barr virus reactivation was detected in 22% of the athletes tested. CONCLUSIONS: Athletes with recurrent infections, fatigue, and associated poor performance may benefit from a thorough investigation of potentially reversible underlying medical conditions, especially when these conditions cause disruption to training and competition. Unresolved viral infections are not routinely assessed in elite athletes, but it may be worth considering in those experiencing fatigue and performing poorly.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Prognostic value of intra-left ventricular electromechanical asynchrony in patients with mild hypertrophic cardiomyopathy compared with power athletes.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to assess the indexes of myocardial activation delay, using Doppler myocardial imaging (DMI), as potential diagnostic tools and predictors of cardiac events in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) compared with power athletes. BACKGROUND: the distribution and magnitude of left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy are not uniform in patients with HCM, which results in heterogeneity of regional LV systolic function. METHODS: The study population comprised 70 young patients with HCM (mean (SD) age 29.4 (5.9) years) with mild septal hypertrophy (15-19 mm) and 85 age and sex matched athletes with septal thickness >12 mm, followed up for 44.4 (10.8) months. Using pulsed DMI, myocardial peak velocities, systolic time intervals, and myocardial intraventricular and interventricular systolic delays were measured in six different basal myocardial segments. RESULTS: DMI analysis showed in HCM lower myocardial both systolic and early diastolic peak velocities of all the segments. Patients with HCM also showed significant interventricular and intraventricular delay (p<0.0001), whereas athletes showed homogeneous systolic activation of the ventricular walls. During the follow up, seven sudden deaths occurred in the HCM group, while no cardiovascular event was observed in the group of athletes. In patients with HCM, intraventricular delay on DMI was the most powerful independent predictor of sudden cardiac death (p<0.0001). An intraventricular delay >45 ms identified with high sensitivity and specificity patients with HCM at higher risk of ventricular tachycardia and cardiac events (test accuracy 90.6%). CONCLUSIONS: DMI may be a valid supporting tool for the differential diagnosis between HCM and "athlete's heart". In patients with HCM, DMI indexes of intraventricular delay may provide additional information for selecting subgroups of patients with HCM at increased risk of ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death at follow up. Accordingly, such patients may benefit from early intensive treatment and survey. MINIABSTRACT: Doppler myocardial imaging may represent a valid supporting tool for the differential diagnosis between mild hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and "athlete's heart". In patients with HCM, DMI indexes of intraventricular delay may provide additional information for selecting subgroups of patients with HCM at increased risk of ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death at follow up.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Coronary risk in a cohort of Paralympic athletes.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of coronary risk factors in Paralympic athletes and evaluate their risk of coronary events. METHOD: An observational prospective cross sectional study of 79 consecutive Brazilian Paralympic athletes (mean (SD) age 27.8 (6.7) years (median 26 years)). There were 56 men and 23 women, 67 with physical and 12 with visual disabilities. The occurrence of systemic hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia, diabetes mellitus, smoking, familial antecedents, obesity, and hypertriglyceridaemia was investigated. The risk of coronary events was calculated using the American Heart Association Coronary risk handbook, and also the 10 year probability of a coronary event using the Framingham risk score. RESULTS: The prevalence of risk factors was: systemic hypertension, 11%; familial antecedents, 10%; smoking, 9%; hypertriglyceridaemia, 6%; hypercholesterolaemia, 1.3%; obesity, 4%; diabetes, 0%. They occurred in 51% of the Paralympic athletes: one factor (41%), two factors (4%), and three factors (6%). The risk of coronary events was absent in 80%, slight in 17%, and moderate in 3%. This could only be evaluated in 81% of the athletes, as 8% had amputations, 9% were young, and 2% had unknown familial antecedents. The Framingham risk score ranged from -14 to +6, predicting a 10 year probability of a coronary event of 3.3 (3.8)%. CONCLUSION: This study shows a reasonably high prevalence of coronary risk factors (51%), despite a low probability of coronary events in Paralympic athletes. The lipid and blood pressure profiles were similar in ambulatory and wheelchair athletes.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Body composition of athletes in Bahrain.

A total sample of 304 athletes was selected from first class clubs related to four common sports (football, handball, volleyball and basketball) and compared with 53 non-athlete adults. Weight, height, mid-arm circumference and skinfold thickness were measured to assess their body composition. The findings revealed that there were differences in body composition among athletes according to the type of sport. Basketballers and volleyballers were the tallest athletes, while handballers were the heaviest ones. Skinfold thickness measurements showed that basketball and handball players have more subcutaneous fat than other athletic groups. As compared with non-athletes, the Bahraini players had higher means for height, weight, subscapular, suprailliac thickness and mid-arm circumference.

Abdomen↗
PubMed2000

Red blood cell variables in highly trained pubescent athletes: a comparative analysis.

BACKGROUND: A suboptimal haematological status has often been recorded in athletes involved in intensive physical activity. There have even been reports of "sports anaemia" associated with intensive physical exercise. However, studies on the effect of different types of exercise practiced over a long period of time on the red blood cell variables in pubescent athletes are very few. AIM: To assess the basic red blood cell variables in highly trained pubescent athletes from different sports and to compare the results with those for a control untrained group. Sex related differences in these variables were also assessed. METHODS: 876 highly trained athletes (559 boys and 317 girls) were included in the study. Their mean (SEM) age, weight, and duration of training were: 14.01 (0.06) years, 56.24 (0.52) kg, and 3.52 (0.07) years respectively. The control group consisted of 357 untrained subjects (171 boys and 186 girls) with mean (SEM) age and weight of 14.58 (0.09) years and 57.75 (0.67) kg. The group of athletes was divided into seven subgroups according to the sport practiced: athletics (105), swimming (107), rowing (230), wrestling (225), weight lifting (47), various team sports (92), and other sports (67). Venous blood samples were drawn from the cubital vein, and the red blood cell count, packed cell volume, haemoglobin concentration, and mean corpuscular volume were measured. Statistical indices were computed for each group and for each variable, and analysis of variance factorial analysis was performed to evaluate the statistical significance of the differences detected. RESULTS: The highly trained group was found to have lower red blood cell count, packed cell volume, and haemoglobin concentration (p<0.001) than the control untrained group (4.61 (0.01) x 10(12)/l v 4.75 (0.02) x 10(12)/l, 0.389 (0.001) v 0.404 (0.002) l/l, and 133.01 (0.38) v 139.9 (0.62) g/l respectively). These variables were lower for the boys of the trained group than for the boys of the control group (p<0.001), and similarly for the girls (p<0.001). The lowest red blood cell count, packed cell volume, and haemoglobin concentration were measured in blood samples from the boys of the swimming subgroup (4.54 (0.06) x 10(12)/l, 0.386 (0.006) l/l, and 129.38 (1.80) g/l respectively) and the rowing subgroup (4.66 (0.03) x 10(12)/l, 0.400 (0.003) l/l, and 136.21 (0.94) respectively). The same distribution was found for the girls: lowest in the rowing subgroup (4.32 (0.04) x 10(12)/l, 0.314 (0.003) l/l, and 124.27 (0.93) g/l) and the swimming subgroup (4.40 (0.05) x 10(12)/l, 0.375 (0.005) l/l, and 125.90 (1.30) g/l). No differences were found in the mean corpuscular volume. CONCLUSIONS: Continuous (more than one year) high intensity sports training (twice a day/five days a week) results in a decrease in the basic red blood cell variables in pubescent boys and girls, this being most pronounced in the submaximal sports.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

A pilot study of the prevalence of lumbar disc degeneration in elite athletes with lower back pain at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

OBJECTIVES: To observe the prevalence of lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration in elite athletes as compared with published literature of changes seen in non-athletes-that is, normal population. METHODS: The lumbar spines of 31 Olympic athletes who presented to the Olympic Polyclinic with low back pain and/or sciatica were examined using magnetic resonance imaging. Three criteria were looked at: (a) the loss of disc signal intensity; (b) the loss of disc height; (c) the presence of disc displacement. The results were then recorded and correlated with the lumbar levels. RESULTS: The disc signal intensity was progressively reduced the more caudal the disc space. It was most common at the L5/S1 level, and, of the abnormal group, 36% (n = 11) showed the most degenerative change. Disc height reduction was also found to be most common at the L5/S1 level. However, the most common height reduction was only mild. A similar trend of increased prevalence of disc herniation was noted with more caudal levels. At the L5/S1 level, 58% were found to have an element of disc displacement, most of which were disc bulges. Compared with changes seen in the normal population (non-athletes) as described in the literature, disc degeneration defined by the above criteria was found to be significantly more severe in these Olympic athletes. CONCLUSIONS: Although the study was limited, the results suggest that elite athletes have a greater prevalence and greater degree of lumbar disc degeneration than the normal population. A more detailed follow up study should be considered to investigate which particular training activities have the most impact on the lumbar spine, and how to modify training methods so as to avoid the long term sequelae of degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Athlete's bradycardia as an embolising disorder? Symptomatic arrhythmias in patients aged less than 50 years.

One hundred and sixty consecutive patients less than 50 years of age (mean 38 years) referred for long term electrocardiographic recording were evaluated retrospectively. Significant cardiac arrhythmias were detected in 51 of 107 (48%) patients examined because of syncope or dizzy spells or both. Of 39 patients examined for cardiac complaints or presumed complex arrhythmias, 15 (38%) had significant arrhythmias. Of 14 patients examined because of otherwise unexplained strokes, nine had slow sinus rates. Of these, one patient had recently undertaken moderately intensive athletic activity and four had been undertaking vigorous athletic activities for several years. All of the 12 active athletes who were followed up on account of syncope or dizzy spells were free of symptoms after reducing their athletic activities. The cardiac rhythm returned to normal in four out of five who underwent repeat long term electrocardiographic recording. It is suggested that vigorous athletic activity in subjects of 30-50 years of age may transform the adaptative bradycardia of the athlete into a condition similar to the embolising sick sinus syndrome.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Spit (smokeless) tobacco use by high school baseball athletes in California.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the prevalence, patterns, and correlates of spit (smokeless) tobacco (ST) use in a sample of high school baseball athletes in California. DESIGN: This cross sectional study was a survey of 1226 baseball athletes attending 39 California high schools that were randomly selected from a list of all publicly supported high schools with baseball teams. At a baseball team meeting, athletes who agreed to participate and had parental consent completed the study questionnaire. To enhance the accuracy of self reported ST use status, a saliva sample was collected from each subject. The questionnaires and saliva samples were coded and salivary cotinine assay was performed on a random subsample of 5% of non-users who also were non-smokers. Biochemical assay indicated that 2% tested positive for cotinine inconsistent with self reported ST non-use. RESULTS: Overall, 46% had ever used ST and 15% were current users. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CI) suggested that, among high school baseball athletes, age, living in a rural area, being white, smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol, not knowing about the adverse effects of ST, perceiving little personal risk associated with ST use, and believing that friends, role models, teammates, and same age baseball athletes in general used ST, increased the likelihood of being an ST user. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that considerable experimentation with ST products occurs among high school baseball athletes in California, and many are current users. ST interventions targeting this population are needed to stop the transition from experimental ST use to tobacco dependence. Correlates of ST use for consideration in future intervention studies are identified.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Asthma and other pulmonary diseases in former elite athletes.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of asthma is rising and there are recent reports of increasing asthma rates among top level skiers and runners in the Nordic countries. METHODS: The lifetime occurrence of pulmonary diseases (asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema) and current bronchitis symptoms was compared in former elite male athletes (n = 1282) who represented Finland between 1920 and 1965 at least once in international competitions and controls (n = 777) who, at the age of 20, were classified as healthy and who responded to a questionnaire in 1985. The presence of disease and symptoms was identified from the questionnaire and, in the case of asthma, also from a nationwide reimbursable medication register. The death certificates of the subjects of our original cohort who died between 1936 and 1985 were also investigated to determine the cause of death. RESULTS: The occurrence of the pulmonary diseases was associated with age, smoking habits, occupational group, and a history of exposure to chemicals. After adjusting for these variables, athletes who participated in mixed sports (odds ratio (OR) 0.46, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.23 to 0.92) and power sports (OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.21 to 0.87) had lower odds ratios for emphysema, and endurance sports athletes had a lower odds ratio for the presence of at least one pulmonary disease (OR 0.53, 95% CI 0.28 to 0.98) when compared with controls. Athletes also tended to have fewer reimbursable medications for asthma and fewer current symptoms for chronic bronchitis. Between 1936 and 1985 two controls but none of the athletes died of asthma. CONCLUSIONS: The lifetime occurrence of asthma or other pulmonary diseases is not increased in former elite athletes, and exercise alone, even in a cold environment, did not appear to increase the prevalence of asthma, at least up to the mid 1980s.

Asthma↗
PubMed2003

[A study comparing circadian rhythm and sleep quality of athletes and sedentary subjects engaged in night work].

The aim of this study was to show the resistance and persistence of the circadian rhythm of temperature (T degree) and the sleep quality of athletic subjects and sedentary subjects engaged in night work, and attempt to explain the mechanisms that influence these differences. The effects of night work on biological rhythms have been studied extensively in the past few years. The contradictory situations for the night workers irrefutably affect their biological systems. Individuals with high amplitudes in their circadian rhythms have been found to be more tolerant to shift work and this results in a greater stability of circadian rhythms. This seems beneficial in coping with frequent rhythm disturbances. The physical training program seems to improve several mechanisms of the human biological system: amplitudes of circadian rhythms were increased and the circadian rhythm period was more resistant to an environment extreme (night work, shift work, sleep deprivation, or jet lag). To test this hypothesis, athletes and sedentary subjects who were engaged in regular night work were selected in the PSA Peugeot Citroën Automobiles Group in French Normandy country. The circadian rhythm of the T degree for both groups was studied with a specific methodology and with extensive spectral analysis, especially the spectral elliptic inverse method. Study models of the rhythm of the T degree were determined and the characteristic parameters were exposed. A complementary actigraphic study showed the physical training program's effects on the sleep quality. The results revealed a large stability in the rhythm of circadian variation of T degree for the athletes: the amplitude was still large but for the sedentary subjects the amplitude of the T degree decreased and it was difficult to adjust a period on the rhythm of T degree. The stability and persistent quality of the athletes' circadian rhythm was confirmed. We observed that the actigraphic sleep was greater for athletes than for sedentary subjects, and the acrophase time for the athletes was later than for the sedentary subjects during the night shift.

Activity Cycles↗
PubMed2001

Energy needs of athletes.

Each athlete has unique energy requirements, which underpin their ability to meet total nutritional goals. For everyday dietary planning and evaluation, energy requirements can be predicted via estimations of RMR and activity levels. Research methods such as indirect calorimetry and DLW allow energy requirements to be measured, and may be useful to confirm situations in which an athlete has a true energy balance anomaly. There is some evidence that individual athletes may have reduced energy requirements, although this occurs less frequently than is reported. Most self-reports of food intake substantially under-estimate energy intake, due to under-reporting or under-eating during the period of record keeping. Many athletes are over-focused on reducing body mass and body fat below levels that are consistent with long-term health and performance. Restrained eating can cause significant detrimental outcomes to body function. Leptin may be involved in modulating or mediating some of these changes. Athletes should use their energy budget to choose foods that provide macronutrient and micronutrient needs for optimal health and performance. Practical advice may help athletes to achieve energy intake challenges.

Body Mass Index↗