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Background: Menopause is a significant period in the life of a female; many hormonal and lifestyle changes occur, which can have a catastrophic effect on their health and well-being. Amongst these changes is the loss of muscle mass and strength. Resistance training is recommended for post-menopausal women; however, the role of protein in muscle mass and strength in this population is unclear. Methods: This narrative review discusses the research evidence regarding daily protein needs, dose and timings of intake, and protein quality. Results: Observational and interventional studies suggest post-menopausal females should ingest at least the RDA 0.8 g·kg−1·d−1 of protein, the dosing at each meal maybe important. Both whey and soy protein may provide some benefit to muscle strength. Conclusions: Overall, there is limited evidence and not of high quality, making it difficult to make inferences about the protein needs of post-menopausal females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rugby is a worldwide intermittent team sport. Players tend to be heavier than the majority of similar team sport athletes on whom the dietary guidelines have been developed. Therefore, the aim of the current review was to describe the intakes of rugby union players. Article databases were searched up to February 2017 and were included if they were published in English and reported dietary intakes of male rugby union players. Of the research articles identified, energy intakes were lower than two of three studies that reported intakes and expenditure, which would suggest the players were losing weight that is somewhat supported by the decreases in skinfolds seen during preseason. However, it should also be noted that there are errors in both the measurement of energy intakes and expenditure. Carbohydrate intakes ranged from 2.6 to 6.5 g·kg−1·day−1, which is lower than the current relative to body mass recommendations; however, this would not be classed as a low-carbohydrate diet. The consistently low intakes of carbohydrate suggest that these intake levels maybe sufficient for performance, given the players greater body mass or there are errors in the measurements. However, there is currently no evidence for the carbohydrate needs of rugby union players in terms of performance. The lower intakes than expenditure would suggest the players were losing weight. Previous research shows that rugby union players lose body fat during preseason training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blood sodium concentration of tetraplegics during exercise has not been investigated. This study aimed to measure blood sodium changes in relation to fluid intakes and thermal comfort in tetraplegics during wheelchair rugby training. Twelve international male wheelchair rugby players volunteered, and measures were taken during 2 training sessions. Body mass, blood sodium concentration, and subjective thermal comfort using a 10-point scale were recorded before and after both training sessions. Fluid intake and the distance covered were measured during both sessions. The mean (SD) percentage changes in body mass during the morning and afternoon training sessions were +0.4%1 (0.65%) and +0.69% (1.24%), respectively. There was a tendency for fluid intake rate to be correlated with the percentage change in blood sodium concentration (p = .072, r2 = .642) during the morning training session; this correlation reached significance during the afternoon session (p = .004, r2= .717). Fluid intake was significantly correlated to change in thermal comfort in the morning session (p = .018, r2 = .533), with this correlation showing a tendency in the afternoon session (p = .066, r2 = .151). This is the first study to investigate blood sodium concentrations in a group of tetraplegics. Over the day, blood sodium concentrations significantly declined; 2 players recorded blood sodium concentrations of 135 mmol/L, and 5 recorded blood sodium concentrations of 136 mmol/L. Excessive fluid intake as a means of attenuating thermal discomfort seems to be the primary cause of low blood sodium concentrations in tetraplegic athletes. Findings from this study could aid in the design of fluid-intake strategies for tetraplegics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food intolerance is becoming increasingly prevalent, and increasing numbers of athletes have celiac disease.This poses challenges as dietary recommendations for exercise are largely based on gluten-containingcarbohydrate-rich foods. The K4 cycle race covers 384 km around the Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand.Lack of sleep, darkness, and temperature variations pose a number of nutritional challenges. Limited foodchoices present those with celiac disease with even greater challenges. This case study describes the intakesof one such athlete during training and competing in the K4. Nutritional intakes were obtained during trainingusing weighed-food records and during the race via dietary recall and the weighing of foods pre- and postrace.As simple substitution of gluten-containing foods for gluten-free foods leads to increased energy intake,alternatives need to be considered. During the race, insufficient energy was consumed to meet the nutritionalguidelines for endurance performance. This was probably due to the nature of the course, racing conditions,the consistency of gluten-free food, and, toward the end of the race, sensory-specific satiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Observational research on professional athletes from the USA suggests differences may exist in sweat sodium loss based on ethnic differences. The New Zealand (NZ) sporting population is mainly of European or Māori/Pacific Island origin. Therefore, this study aimed to describe the fluid-electrolyte balance of athletes by ethnicity. A total of 20 Māori/Pacific Islanders (MP; body mass 100.97 ± 13.05 kg) and 29 NZ European (NZE; body mass 89.11 ± 11.56 kg) elite male athletes were recruited. Sweat rates were determined by body mass change during a 1-h spin cycle exercise session, during which fluid intakes and heart rate were recorded. Sweat samples were analysed for sodium concentration. Mean ± SD sweat sodium concentrations were 73.4 ± 27.2 mmol·L−1and 55.5 ± 26.8 mmol·L−1for the MP and NZE groups, respectively (p= 0.070). Sweat rate was 0.93 ± 0.26 L·h−1for the MP group and 0.89 ± 0.33 L·h−1for the NZE group (p= 0.357). Fluid intake was 1.05 ± 0.48 L and 0.93 ± 0.49 L for MP and NZE, respectively (p= 0.395). Half of the MP group gained weight during the exercise session compared to 37% of the NZE group. Pre-exercise urine specific gravity was significantly lower amongst the NZE group (1.016 ± 0.009 g mL−1) than the MP group (1.024 ± 0.008 g mL−1)p= 0.001. There was no significant difference in heart rate between the groups,p= 0.082. Hydration practices of athletes in NZ may differ by ethnicity, and this may highlight the need for more targeted education by ethnicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current hydration guidelines are designed to address the fine balance between minimising dehydration while reducing the risk of hyponatremia. During prolonged cycling events small discrepancies between drinking behaviour and fluid requirements may be detrimental to health and performance. The present study aimed to investigate the hydration practices of competitors in a 387 km cycle race in order to evaluate the effect on fluid balance and monitor the prevalence of dysnatremia. Eighteen participants provided blood and urine samples pre- and post-race to measure sodium and fluid balance. Sweat samples were collected via patches for analysis of sodium concentration. Body weight was measured at the start and end of the race. On average participants consumed 0.58 L h(-1) of fluid. Upon completion of the race 7 of the 18 (39%) cyclists had blood sodium concentrations of 135 mmol L(-1) or lower with one cyclist recording a value of 132 mmol L(-1). Only two cyclists appeared to be moderately dehydrated. A post-race questionnaire indicated cyclists were most concerned with preventing dehydration. It appears that cyclists taking part in prolonged endurance events are at more risk of hyponatremia than dehydration and do not readily change their drinking behaviour to match their sweat losses.