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Female Volleyball Players Are More Prone to Cortisol Anticipatory Stress Response than Sedentary Women.
Dziembowska, I, Wójcik, M, Hołyńska-Iwan, I, Litwic-Kaminska, K, Słomka, A, Żekanowska, E
Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania). 2019;(6)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Top-level sports performance places heavy physical and psychological demands on elite-level athletes, which can be a source of increased levels of stress. Therefore, high-level volleyball players may present altered cardiovascular and endocrinological stress response during stressful events. Although many previous studies have examined the response to stress on athletes, most of them regarded only males, while the impact of the female menstrual cycle has rarely been taken into account. We aimed to study psychophysiological response to anticipatory stressor through analysis of heart rate, self-reported anxiety level, and salivary cortisol in healthy young female athletes by minimalizing the effect of confounders. Materials and Methods: A total of 55 females (25 members of the best league for female volleyball players in Poland and 30 sedentary-lifestyle control subjects) in the follicular phase of their menstrual cycle were exposed to mental arithmetic tasks as an experimental imitation of the stressor. Volleyball players were significantly taller than sedentary individuals (177.1 ± 3.4 cm vs. 173.3 ± 3.4 cm, respectively, p = 0.034), but did not differ in weight (73.6 ± 5.2 kg vs. 70 ± 4.23 kg, respectively, p = 0.081), body mass index (BMI) (23.5 ± 1.13 vs. 24.1 ± 1.45, respectively, p = 0.060), and age (22 ± 1.11 vs. 23 ± 1.14 years, respectively, p = 0.2). Their stress responses were assessed through self-reported anxiety levels and physiological measurements of salivary cortisol concentrations and heart rate (HR). Results: For HR, significant effects of time (F(2,120) = 21.34, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.26) were found, but not for training status (F(1,60) = 2.69, p = 0.106, η2 = 0.04). For cortisol levels, the analysis showed the main effects of time (F(3,180) = 11.73, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.16) and training status (F(1,60) = 4.69, p = 0.034, η2 = 0.07) and a significant interaction between training status and time (F(3,180) = 3.07, p = 0.029, η2 = 0.05). Post-hoc analyses showed higher cortisol concentrations among volleyball players following the math task (all p < 0.001), as well as higher cortisol concentrations in S2, S3, and S4 compared to S1 in volleyball players (all p < 0.001). We observed also a significant increase in state anxiety in both groups (all p < 0.001), but no differences in state anxiety levels between groups. Conclusion: Female volleyball players may not differ in subjective graduation of stressors; however, exposure to training-based stressors seems to promote cortisol response to the anticipated stressor.
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Total and regional bone mineral and tissue composition in female adolescent athletes: comparison between volleyball players and swimmers.
Valente-Dos-Santos, J, Tavares, ÓM, Duarte, JP, Sousa-E-Silva, PM, Rama, LM, Casanova, JM, Fontes-Ribeiro, CA, Marques, EA, Courteix, D, Ronque, ERV, et al
BMC pediatrics. 2018;(1):212
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exploring the osteogenic effect of different bone-loading sports is particular relevant to understand the interaction between skeletal muscle and bone health during growth. This study aimed to compare total and regional bone and soft-tissue composition between female adolescent swimmers (n=20, 15.71±0.93 years) and volleyball players (n=26, 16.20±0.77 years). METHODS Dietary intake was obtained using food frequency questionnaires. Body size was given by stature, sitting height, and body mass. Six skinfolds were measured. Bone mineral content (BMC) and density (BMD), lean soft tissue, and fat tissue were assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Pearson's product moment correlation coefficients were calculated to examine the relationships among variables, by type of sport. Comparisons between swimmers and volleyball players were performed using student t-tests for independent samples and multivariate analysis of covariance (controlling for age, training history and body size). RESULTS Swimmers (BMC: 2328±338 g) and volleyball players (BMC: 2656±470 g) exceeded respectively by 2.1 and 2.8 standard deviation scores the average of international standards for whole body BMC of healthy adolescents. Years of training in swimmers were positively related to the upper limbs BMC (r=+0.49, p<0.05). In volleyball players, years of training correlated significantly with lower limbs BMD (r=+0.43, p<0.05). After adjustments for potential confounders, moderate differences (ES-r=0.32) between swimmers and volleyball players were noted in BMD at the lower limbs (volleyball players: +0.098 g∙cm-2, +7.8%). CONCLUSIONS Youth female athletes who participate in high-intensity weight-loading activities such as volleyball exhibit moderately higher levels of BMD at the lower limbs compared to non-loading sports such as swimming.
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Eleven Weeks of Iron Supplementation Does Not Maintain Iron Status for an Entire Competitive Season in Elite Female Volleyball Players: A Follow-Up Study.
Mielgo-Ayuso, J, Zourdos, MC, Calleja-González, J, Córdova, A, Fernandez-Lázaro, D, Caballero-García, A
Nutrients. 2018;(10)
Abstract
BACKGROUND Even though iron supplementation can be effective, it is necessary to be cautious of toxicity and aim to do no harm, therefore, it is important to examine the length of time the benefits of iron supplementation can be maintained following its cessation. The main purpose of this study was to analyze if iron stores and strength performance were maintained in elite female volleyball players for the final 18 weeks of a competitive season following the cessation of 11 weeks of iron supplementation. METHODS Twenty-two volleyballers (age: 27.0 ± 5.6 years.) were assigned to two groups (iron treatment group-ITG, n = 11 or control gropu-CG, n = 11) at the beginning of a previous trial (T0) and ITG consumed 325mg/d of ferrous sulphate for 11 weeks (T11). Then, in the present study iron status and strength were measured again 10 (T21) and 18 weeks later (T29) after the cessation of supplementation. RESULTS At the end of the previous trial (T11), ITG maintained iron status as measured by hematological parameters (serum iron-sFE, serum ferritin-FER, transferrin saturation index-TSI, and hemogloblin-Hb), however, CG showed a decrease in these markers at T11. Further, from T0 to T11 ITG experienced greater (p < 0.05) changes in clean and jerk, power clean, and total mean strength (TMS-sum of all strength tests) than CG. In the present, follow-up investigation, there was a group-by-time interaction in favor of CG vs. ITG from T11 to T21 for FER (p = 0.028) and Hb (p = 0.042). Further, there was an increase for CG (p < 0.001) in power clean for CG from T11 (38.4 ± 1.7 kg) to T21 (41.3 ± 1.9 kg) and T29 (41.8 ± 1.7 kg), but no change for power clean in ITG (p > 0.05). A group-by-time interaction from T11 to T29 occurred in favor of CG for half-squat (p = 0.049) and TMS (p = 0.049). CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that the benefits of iron supplementation are not sustained in elite female volleyballers if supplementation is ceased for 18 weeks.
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[Effect of phlebodium decumanum and coenzyme Q10 on sports performance in professional volleyball players].
García Verazaluce, JJ, Vargas Corzo, Mdel C, Aguilar Cordero, MJ, Ocaña Peinado, F, Sarmiento Ramírez, Á, Guisado Barrilao, R
Nutricion hospitalaria. 2014;(1):401-14
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Physical training programmes are based on provoking transitory states of fatigue in order to induce super compensation by the biological systems involved in the activity, in order to improve the athlete's medium-long term performance. The administration of nutritional supplements with antioxidant and immunomodulatory properties, such as Phlebodium decumanum and coenzyme Q10, can be a very advantageous means of achieving recovery from the inflammation and tissue damage caused by the stress of prolonged, intense exercise. METHODOLOGY An experimental, longitudinal, double- blind experiment was conducted, with three randomised groups obtained from a sample of 30 male volleyball players (aged 22-32 years) at the University of Granada, with a high level of training (17 hours a week during the 6 months preceding the study). The effects were then evaluated of a month-long physical training programme, common to all the study groups, associated with the simultaneous administration of the following nutritional supplements: Phlebodium decumanum (4 capsules of 400 mg/capsule, daily), Experimental Group 1; Phlebodium decumanum (same dose and schedule as Group 1) plus coenzyme Q10 (4 capsules of 30 mg/ capsule, daily), Experimental Group 2; a placebo substance, Control Group. The following dependent blood variables were examined to assess the effects of the intervention on the basal immune and endocrine-metabolic profile: cortisol and interleukin-6, both related to the axis of exercise-induced stress; and lactic acid and ammonium, related essentially to the anaerobic metabolism of energy. RESULTS All the study groups presented favourable adaptive changes with respect to the endocrine-metabolic and immune profile, as reflected by a significant decrease in the post-test concentrations of cortisol, interleukin 6, lactic acid and ammonium, compared to the values recorded before the physical activity with/without nutritional supplement, per protocol. The groups that achieved the most favourable profile were those which had received nutritional supplementation, rather than the placebo, and among the former, those which had received the double- strength supplement with Phlebodium decumanum plus coenzyme Q10. CONCLUSIONS The intake of Phlebodium decumanum plus coenzyme Q10 for 4 weeks produced protective effects on the endocrine-metabolic and immune profile, which we attribute to the immunomodulatory and antioxidant properties of these substances, which are highly beneficial not only in terms of delaying fatigue and improving athletic performance, but also in reducing the risk of injuries associated with high intensity exercise.