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The present study aimed to investigate the influence of timing of preexercise carbohydrate feeding (Part A) and carbohydrate concentration (Part B) on short-duration high-intensity exercise capacity. In Part A, 17 males, and in Part B 10 males, performed a peak power output (PPO) test, two familiarization trials at 90% of PPO, and 4 (for Part A) or 3 (for Part B) experimental trials involving exercise capacity tests at 90% PPO. In Part A, the 4 trials were conducted following ingestion of a 6.4% carbohydrate/electrolyte sports drink ingested 30 (C30) or 120 (C120) minutes before exercise, or a flavor-matched placebo administered either 30 (P30) or 120 (P120) minutes before exercise. In Part B, the 3 trials were performed 30 min after ingestion of 0%, 2% or 12% carbohydrate solutions. All trials were performed in a double-blind cross-over design following and overnight fast. Dietary intake and activity in the 2 days before trials was recorded and replicated on each visit. Glucose, lactate, heart rate, and mood/arousal were recorded at intervals during the trials. In Part A, C30 produced the greatest exercise capacity (mean ± SD; 9.0 ± 1.9 min, p < .01) compared with all other trials (7.7 ± 1.5 min P30, 8.0 ± 1.7 min P120, 7.9 ± 1.9 min C120). In Part B, exercise capacity (min) following ingestion of the 2% solution (9.2 ± 2.1) compared with 0% (8.2 ± 0.7) and 12% (8.0 ± 1.3) solutions approached significance (p = .09). This study provides new evidence to suggest that timing of carbohydrate intake is important in short duration high-intensity exercise tasks, but a concentration effect requires further exploration.

Exercise induced muscle damage (EIMD) impairs maximal torque production which can cause a decline in athletic performance and/or mobility. EIMD is commonly assessed by using maximal voluntary contraction (MVC), creatine kinase (CK) and muscle soreness. We propose as an additional technique, tensiomyography (TMG), recently introduced to measure mechanical and muscle contractile characteristics. The purpose of this study was to determine the validity of TMG in detecting changes in maximal torque following EIMD. Nineteen participants performed eccentric elbow flexions to achieve EIMD on the non- dominant arm and used the dominant elbow flexor as a control. TMG parameters, MVC and rate of torque development (RTD) were measured prior to EIMD and repeated for another six consecutive days. Creatine kinase, muscle soreness and limb girth were also measured during this period. Twenty four hours after inducing EIMD, MVC torque, RTD and TMG maximal displacement had significantly (p<0.01) declined by 37%, 44% and 31%, respectively. By day 6 MVC, RTD and TMG recovered to 12%, 24% and 17% of respective pre-EIMD values. In conclusion, as hypothesised TMG maximal displacement significantly followed other standard EIMD responses. This could therefore be useful in detecting muscle damage from impaired muscle function and its recovery following EIMD., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study assessed fluid balance, sodium losses, and effort intensity during indoor tennis match play (17 ± 2 °C, 42% ± 9% relative humidity) over a mean match duration of 68.1 ± 12.8 min in 16 male tennis players. Ad libitum fluid intake was recorded throughout the match. Sweat loss from change in nude body mass; sweat electrolyte content from patches applied to the forearm, calf, and thigh, and back of each player; and electrolyte balance derived from sweat, urine, and daily food-intake analysis were measured. Effort intensity was assessed from on-court heart rate compared with data obtained during a maximal treadmill test. Sweat rate (M ± SD) was 1.1 ± 0.4 L/hr, and fluid-ingestion rate was 1.0 ± 0.6 L/hr (replacing 93% ± 47% of fluid lost), resulting in only a small mean loss in body mass of 0.15% ± 0.74%. Large interindividual variabilities in sweat rate (range 0.3-2.0 L/hr) and fluid intake (range 0.31-2.52 L/hr) were noted. Whole-body sweat sodium concentration was 38 ± 12 mmol/L, and total sodium losses during match play were 1.1 ± 0.4 g (range 0.5-1.8 g). Daily sodium intake was 2.8 ± 1.1 g. Indoor match play largely consisted of low-intensity exercise below ventilatory threshold (mean match heart rate was 138 ± 24 beats/min). This study shows that in moderate indoor temperature conditions players ingest sufficient fluid to replace sweat losses. However, the wide range in data obtained highlights the need for individualized fluid-replacement guidance.

Six healthy male volunteers performed four rides to exhaustion on a cycle ergometer at approximately 80% of maximal oxygen consumption. Subjects ingested a bolus volume of fluid (7.14 ml/kg) immediately before exercise and additional fluid volumes (1.43 ml/kg) every 10 min during exercise. The fluids ingested were either a flavored water control or glucose-electrolyte beverages with glucose concentrations of 2, 6, or 12%. The beverages were labeled with [U-(13)C]glucose (99.2%: 0.05 g/l). Exercise capacity was not different (P = 0.13) between trials; median (range) exercise time was 83.52 (79.85--89.68), 103.19 (78.82--108.22), 100.37 (80.60--124.07), and 94.76 (76.78--114.25) min in the 0, 2, 6, and 12% trials, respectively. The oxidation of exogenous glucose in each 15-min period was significantly lower in the 2% trial (P = 0.02) than in the 6 and 12% trials where oxidation rates were between 0.5 and 0.7 g/min. No difference in endogenous glucose oxidation was observed between trials (P = 0.71). These findings indicate that the oxidation of exogenous glucose during exercise of this intensity and duration in a cold environment is similar to that observed in warmer conditions. Thus a low oxidation of exogenous substrate is unlikely to be a factor limiting the effectiveness of carbohydrate-electrolyte drink ingestion on exercise capacity in a cold environment.

During prolonged exercise in a cold environment, fatigue is generally associated with a depletion of endogenous glycogen stores. This has lead many authors to hypothesize that the carbohydrate (CHO) content of fluids ingested in cool environments should be high, yet this hypothesis has not been specifically examined. In the present study, six healthy males cycled to exhaustion at approximately 80% of their maximum oxygen consumption (V2O,max) with either no drink (ND), a 15% CHO-electrolyte drink (15% CHO) or a 2% CHO electrolyte drink (2% CHO). Dietary intake and exercise were replicated 2 days prior to each trial. Mean (S.D.) ambient temperature was 10.0 (0.3) degrees C with a relative humidity of 72 (2) % and an air velocity of approximately 0.7 m s(-1) on all trials. Weighted mean skin temperature was calculated, and rectal temperature and heart rate were recorded at rest, during exercise and at exhaustion. Venous samples were drawn before and during exercise and at exhaustion for determination of haemoglobin, haematocrit, blood metabolites and serum electrolytes and osmolality. Expired air was collected for calculation of VO2 and respiratory exchange ratio which were used to estimate rates of fuel oxidation. Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) were also obtained. Exercise capacity was not different (P=0.49) between trials, with median (range) times to exhaustion of 90.6 (66.8-106.0), 97.7 (60.9-112.0) and 102.0 (77.1-170.7) min for the ND, 15% CHO and 2% CHO trials, respectively. The 15% CHO drink significantly (P < 0.05) elevated blood glucose concentration and total CHO oxidation compared with the ND trial. The 2% CHO drink significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the estimated change in plasma volume and resulted in a lower serum osmolality than the other two trials. No differences were observed in any thermoregulatory or cardiorespiratory responses between trials. These data suggest that maintenance of blood-borne substrate and/or plasma volume does not influence exercise capacity in the cold, as is commonly reported during this type and intensity of exercise in warmer environments.

Inorganic phosphate (Pi) supplementation has been reported to provide ergogenic benefits, though the research findings are inconsistent. Several confounding influences may explain these results, including mode of exercise, exercise intensity, dietary intake, daily biological fluctuations, type of supplement, administered dose of the supplement, washout period, length of loading period, fitness level of subjects, blood volume alterations, and sample collection and analysis techniques. This review provides a critical analysis of the methodological difficulties that may contribute to the equivocal research findings pertaining to Pi supplementation.