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1.
Vitamin D, Its Role in Recovery after Muscular Damage Following Exercise.
Caballero-García, A, Córdova-Martínez, A, Vicente-Salar, N, Roche, E, Pérez-Valdecantos, D
Nutrients. 2021;(7)
Abstract
Aside from its role in bone metabolism, vitamin D is a key immunomodulatory micronutrient. The active form of vitamin D (1,25(OH)D) seems to modulate the innate immune system through different mechanisms. The vitamin is involved in the differentiation of monocytes into macrophages, increasing the phagocytic and chemotactic functions of these cells. At the same time, vitamin D enables efferocytosis and prevents immunopathology. In addition, vitamin D is involved in other processes related to immune function, such as inflammation. Regarding muscle tissue, vitamin D plays an active role in muscle inflammatory response, protein synthesis, and regulation of skeletal muscle function. Two mechanisms have been proposed: A direct role of 1,25(OH)D binding to vitamin D receptors (VDRs) in muscle cells and the modulation of calcium transport in the sarcoplasmic reticulum. This second mechanism needs additional investigation. In conclusion, vitamin D seems to be effective in cases of deficiency and/or if there is a great muscular commitment, such as in high intensity exercises.
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2.
Effect of Glutamine Supplementation on Muscular Damage Biomarkers in Professional Basketball Players.
Córdova-Martínez, A, Caballero-García, A, Bello, HJ, Pérez-Valdecantos, D, Roche, E
Nutrients. 2021;(6)
Abstract
Scientific evidence supports the role of L-glutamine in improving immune function. This could suggest a possible role of L-glutamine in recovery after intense exercise. To this end, the present report aimed to study if oral L-glutamine supplementation could attenuate muscle damage in a group of players of a mainly eccentric sport discipline such as basketball. Participants (n = 12) were supplemented with 6 g/day of glutamine (G group) or placebo (P group) for 40 days in a crossover study design (20 days with glutamine + 20 days with placebo and vice versa). Blood samples were obtained at the beginning and at the end of each period and markers from exercise-induced muscle damage were determined. The glutamine supplemented group displayed significantly low values of aspartate transaminase, creatine kinase and myoglobin in blood, suggesting less muscle damage compared to the placebo. In addition, adrenocorticotropic hormone levels were lower in the glutamine supplemented group than in the placebo. As a result, the circulating cortisol levels did not increase at the end of the study in the glutamine supplemented group. Altogether, the results indicate that glutamine could help attenuate exercise-induced muscle damage in sport disciplines with predominantly eccentric actions.
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3.
Gut-Muscle AxisExists and May Affect Skeletal Muscle Adaptation to Training.
Przewłócka, K, Folwarski, M, Kaźmierczak-Siedlecka, K, Skonieczna-Żydecka, K, Kaczor, JJ
Nutrients. 2020;(5)
Abstract
Excessive training may limit physiological muscle adaptation through chronic oxidative stress and inflammation. Improper diet and overtraining may also disrupt intestinal homeostasis and in consequence enhance inflammation. Altogether, these factors may lead to an imbalance in the gut ecosystem, causing dysregulation of the immune system. Therefore, it seems to be important to optimize the intestinal microbiota composition, which is able to modulate the immune system and reduce oxidative stress. Moreover, the optimal intestinal microbiota composition may have an impact on muscle protein synthesis and mitochondrial biogenesis and function, as well as muscle glycogen storage. Aproperly balanced microbiome may also reduce inflammatory markers and reactive oxygen species production, which may further attenuate macromolecules damage. Consequently, supplementation with probiotics may have some beneficial effect on aerobic and anaerobic performance. The phenomenon of gut-muscle axis should be continuously explored to function maintenance, not only in athletes.
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4.
Exercise and immune system as modulators of intestinal microbiome: implications for the gut-muscle axis hypothesis.
Ticinesi, A, Lauretani, F, Tana, C, Nouvenne, A, Ridolo, E, Meschi, T
Exercise immunology review. 2019;:84-95
Abstract
Exercise is a possible modulator of intestinal microbiome composition, since some investigations have shown that it is associated with increased biodiversity and representation of taxa with beneficial metabolic functions. Conversely, training to exhaustion can be associated with dysbiosis of the intestinal microbiome, promoting inflammation and negative metabolic consequences. Gut microbiota can, in turn, influence the pathophysiology of several distant organs, including the skeletal muscle. A gut-muscle axis may in fact regulate muscle protein deposition and muscle function. In older individuals, this axis may be involved in the pathogenesis of muscle wasting disorders through multiple mechanisms, involving transduction of pro-anabolic stimuli from dietary nutrients, modulation of inflammation and insulin sensitivity. The immune system plays a fundamental role in these processes, being influenced by microbiome composition and at the same time contributing to shape microbial communities. In this review, we summarize the most recent literature acquisitions in this field, disentangling the complex relationships between exercise, microbiome, immune system and skeletal muscle function and proposing an interpretative framework that will need verification in future studies.
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5.
Do We Need a Cool-Down After Exercise? A Narrative Review of the Psychophysiological Effects and the Effects on Performance, Injuries and the Long-Term Adaptive Response.
Van Hooren, B, Peake, JM
Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.). 2018;(7):1575-1595
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Abstract
It is widely believed that an active cool-down is more effective for promoting post-exercise recovery than a passive cool-down involving no activity. However, research on this topic has never been synthesized and it therefore remains largely unknown whether this belief is correct. This review compares the effects of various types of active cool-downs with passive cool-downs on sports performance, injuries, long-term adaptive responses, and psychophysiological markers of post-exercise recovery. An active cool-down is largely ineffective with respect to enhancing same-day and next-day(s) sports performance, but some beneficial effects on next-day(s) performance have been reported. Active cool-downs do not appear to prevent injuries, and preliminary evidence suggests that performing an active cool-down on a regular basis does not attenuate the long-term adaptive response. Active cool-downs accelerate recovery of lactate in blood, but not necessarily in muscle tissue. Performing active cool-downs may partially prevent immune system depression and promote faster recovery of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. However, it is unknown whether this reduces the likelihood of post-exercise illnesses, syncope, and cardiovascular complications. Most evidence indicates that active cool-downs do not significantly reduce muscle soreness, or improve the recovery of indirect markers of muscle damage, neuromuscular contractile properties, musculotendinous stiffness, range of motion, systemic hormonal concentrations, or measures of psychological recovery. It can also interfere with muscle glycogen resynthesis. In summary, based on the empirical evidence currently available, active cool-downs are largely ineffective for improving most psychophysiological markers of post-exercise recovery, but may nevertheless offer some benefits compared with a passive cool-down.
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Barriers to cancer nutrition therapy: excess catabolism of muscle and adipose tissues induced by tumour products and chemotherapy.
Schiessel, DL, Baracos, VE
The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society. 2018;(4):394-402
Abstract
Cancer-associated malnutrition is driven by reduced dietary intake and by underlying metabolic changes (such as inflammation, anabolic resistance, proteolysis, lipolysis and futile cycling) induced by the tumour and activated immune cells. Cytotoxic and targeted chemotherapies also elicit proteolysis and lipolysis at the tissue level. In this review, we summarise specific mediators and chemotherapy effects that provoke excess proteolysis in muscle and excess lipolysis in adipose tissue. A nutritionally relevant question is whether and to what degree these catabolic changes can be reversed by nutritional therapy. In skeletal muscle, tumour factors and chemotherapy drugs activate intracellular signals that result in the suppression of protein synthesis and activation of a transcriptional programme leading to autophagy and degradation of myofibrillar proteins. Cancer nutrition therapy is intended to ensure adequate provision of energy fuels and a complete repertoire of biosynthetic building blocks. There is some promising evidence that cancer- and chemotherapy-associated metabolic alterations may also be corrected by certain individual nutrients. The amino acids leucine and arginine provided in the diet at least partially reverse anabolic suppression in muscle, while n-3 PUFA inhibit the transcriptional activation of muscle catabolism. Optimal conditions for exploiting these anabolic and anti-catabolic effects are currently under study, with the overall aim of net improvements in muscle mass, functionality, performance status and treatment tolerance.
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Selected In-Season Nutritional Strategies to Enhance Recovery for Team Sport Athletes: A Practical Overview.
Heaton, LE, Davis, JK, Rawson, ES, Nuccio, RP, Witard, OC, Stein, KW, Baar, K, Carter, JM, Baker, LB
Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.). 2017;(11):2201-2218
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Abstract
Team sport athletes face a variety of nutritional challenges related to recovery during the competitive season. The purpose of this article is to review nutrition strategies related to muscle regeneration, glycogen restoration, fatigue, physical and immune health, and preparation for subsequent training bouts and competitions. Given the limited opportunities to recover between training bouts and games throughout the competitive season, athletes must be deliberate in their recovery strategy. Foundational components of recovery related to protein, carbohydrates, and fluid have been extensively reviewed and accepted. Micronutrients and supplements that may be efficacious for promoting recovery include vitamin D, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, creatine, collagen/vitamin C, and antioxidants. Curcumin and bromelain may also provide a recovery benefit during the competitive season but future research is warranted prior to incorporating supplemental dosages into the athlete's diet. Air travel poses nutritional challenges related to nutrient timing and quality. Incorporating strategies to consume efficacious micronutrients and ingredients is necessary to support athlete recovery in season.
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Immune Function and Muscle Adaptations to Resistance exercise in Older Adults: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial of a Nutritional Supplement.
Dennis, RA, Ponnappan, U, Kodell, RL, Garner, KK, Parkes, CM, Bopp, MM, Padala, KP, Peterson, CA, Padala, PR, Sullivan, DH
Trials. 2015;:121
Abstract
BACKGROUND Immune function may influence the ability of older adults to maintain or improve muscle mass, strength, and function during aging. Thus, nutritional supplementation that supports the immune system could complement resistance exercise as an intervention for age-associated muscle loss. The current study will determine the relationship between immune function and exercise training outcomes for older adults who consume a nutritional supplement or placebo during resistance training and post-training follow-up. The supplement was chosen due to evidence suggesting its ingredients [arginine (Arg), glutamine (Gln), and β-hydroxy β-methylbutyrate (HMB)] can improve immune function, promote muscle growth, and counteract muscle loss. METHODS/DESIGN Veterans (age 60 to 80 yrs, N = 50) of the United States military will participate in a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial of consumption of a nutritional supplement or placebo during completion of three study objectives: 1) determine if 2 weeks of supplementation improve immune function measured as the response to vaccination and systemic and cellular responses to acute resistance exercise; 2) determine if supplementation during 36 sessions of resistance training boosts gains in muscle size, strength, and function; and 3) determine if continued supplementation for 26 weeks post-training promotes retention of training-induced gains in muscle size, strength, and function. Analyses of the results for these objectives will determine the relationship between immune function and the training outcomes. Participants will undergo nine blood draws and five muscle (vastus lateralis) biopsies so that the effects of the supplement on immune function and the systemic and cellular responses to exercise can be measured. DISCUSSION Exercise has known effects on immune function. However, the study will attempt to modulate immune function using a nutritional supplement and determine the effects on training outcomes. The study will also examine post-training benefit retention, an important issue for older adults, usually omitted from exercise studies. The study will potentially advance our understanding of the mechanisms of muscle gain and loss in older adults, but more importantly, a nutritional intervention will be evaluated as a complement to exercise for supporting muscle health during aging. TRIAL REGISTRATION Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT02261961, registration date 10 June 2014, recruitment active.
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CONSUMPTION OF CHERRIES AS A STRATEGY TO ATTENUATE EXERCISE-INDUCED MUSCLE DAMAGE AND INFLAMMATION IN HUMANS.
Coelho Rabello Lima, L, Oliveira Assumpção, C, Prestes, J, Sérgio Denadai, B
Nutricion hospitalaria. 2015;(5):1885-93
Abstract
BACKGROUND exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) is a multifactorial phenomenon that induces muscle function loss because of mechanical and immune stressor stimuli. This immunological stress is mostly caused by inflammation and increased oxidative status. Cherries are fruits that contain a phenolic compound known as anthocyanin, which serves as a pigment in natura. However, research suggests this pigment might provide a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory strategy when consumed by humans. OBJECTIVES the aim of this study was to critically review the literature on cherry consumption focusing on identifying protective strategies against EIMD conferred by it. METHODS a research was performed in PubMed database. This review presents the results about cherry consumption and EIMD. RESULTS the articles identified in this review support the notion that tart cherry consumption attenuates EIMD symptoms after intense exercise bouts. This attenuation seems to be related to the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of anthocyanins and other phenolic compounds present in tart cherries. CONCLUSION daily consumption of tart cherries may attenuate inflammatory and oxidative responses to EIMD, leading to faster recovery after exercise bouts.
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Potential ergogenic activity of grape juice in runners.
Toscano, LT, Tavares, RL, Toscano, LT, Silva, CS, Almeida, AE, Biasoto, AC, Gonçalves, Mda C, Silva, AS
Applied physiology, nutrition, and metabolism = Physiologie appliquee, nutrition et metabolisme. 2015;(9):899-906
Abstract
Recent studies have indicated that certain food products have ergogenic potential similar to that of sports supplements. The present study aimed to investigate the potential ergogenic effect of integral purple grape juice on the performance of recreational runners. Twenty-eight volunteers of both sexes (age, 39.8 ± 8.5 years; peak oxygen consumption, 43.2 ± 8.5 mL/(kg·min)) were randomized into either a group that received grape juice (grape juice group (GJG), n = 15; 10 mL/(kg·min) for 28 days) or a group that received an isocaloric, isoglycemic, and isovolumetric control beverage (control group (CG), n = 13). A time-to-exhaustion exercise test, anaerobic threshold test, and aerobic capacity test were performed, together with assessments of markers of oxidative stress, inflammation, immune response, and muscle injury, performed at baseline and 48 h after the supplementation protocol. The GJG showed a significant increase (15.3%) in running time-to-exhaustion (p = 0.002) without significant improvements in either anaerobic threshold (3.6%; p = 0.511) or aerobic capacity (2.2%; p = 0.605). In addition, GJG exhibited significant increases in total antioxidant capacity (38.7%; p = 0.009), vitamin A (11.8%; p = 0.016), and uric acid (28.2%; p = 0.005), whereas α-1-acid glycoprotein significantly decreased (20.2%; p = 0.006) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels remained unchanged. In contrast, no significant changes occurred in any of these variables in the CG. In conclusion, supplementation with purple grape juice shows an ergogenic effect in recreational runners by promoting increased time-to-exhaustion, accompanied by increased antioxidant activity and a possible reduction in inflammatory markers.