Physical Performance Of Athletes Research Articles

Jet lag: an underestimated factor in reduced physical performance in athletes

Jet lag is a common issue affecting most athletes traveling across at least 2 time zones, particularly when traveling eastward. Observational studies on over 114,000 game matches have established that traveling teams had a statistically significant higher rate of game losses. Jet lag manifests not only in a decline in athletes' physical performance but also affects cognitive abilities, attention span, and subjective feelings of fatigue. Melatonin can be a very important supplement in helping to regulate the circadian rhythm. Other recommended methods include phototherapy, appropriate meal timing, and sedative medications. This paper aims to gather the latest clinical research assessing athletes' predisposition to jet lag symptoms, large-scale retrospective observational studies evaluating this phenomenon, and discusses the functioning of the circadian rhythm, methods for alleviating jet lag symptoms, and its manifestations.

Raw bioelectrical data and physical performance in track and field athletes: Are there differences between the sexes in the relationship?

ObjectivesThe study aimed to investigate the relationship between raw bioelectrical data and physical performance in track and field athletes. Specifically, the objectives were to determine: 1) whether a regional bioelectrical impedance approach provides additional insights compared to whole-body analysis, 2) the reliability of the Levi Muscle Index (LMI) in this context, and 3) whether there are differences in these relationships between male and female athletes. DesignThis study utilized a cross-sectional design involving thirty-one female athletes (mean age 21.4 ± 3.8 years) and thirty male athletes (mean age 21.1 ± 2.6 years) from track and field. On a single day, participants underwent whole-body and regional bioelectrical impedance assessments focusing on the lower limbs, alongside strength and speed performance tests. ResultsThe study found no significant differences in the relationship between whole-body versus regional bioelectrical impedance and performance tests. Resistance (R) demonstrated an inverse correlation, while phase angle (PhA) and Levi Muscle Index (LMI) showed direct correlations with most performance variables in track and field athletes. Significant differences were observed between male and female athletes across all parameters, with male athletes exhibiting superior performance, higher PhA and LMI values, and stronger correlation coefficients compared to females. ConclusionsIn summary, this study highlights the intricate relationship between body composition and physical performance in athletes. It underscores the importance of considering sex differences and the reliability of raw bioelectrical data, whether obtained through regional or whole-body approaches, in assessing athletic performance.

The role of Gut Microbiota and Probiotics in physical performance of athletes - Literature review

INTRODUCTION: The human gut microbiota is an extremely diverse and complex ecosystem that inhibits the mucous membranes of the intestines. It is probable that the microbiota, with its capacity to influence the immune system and establish the conditions required for metabolic and structural functions essential for maintaining homeostasis, may significantly affect the health, well-being, and performance of athletes. PURPOSE: The aim of the study is to present the current state of knowledge about the differences in athletes’ gut microbiota, how these changes affect their physical performance and uncover the mechanisms behind gut microbiota and probiotics in physical performance among population of athletes. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The following review was conducted using the articles from the Pubmed and Google Scholar databases, employing keywords related to gut microbiota, athletes, physical performance. We collected studies performed on populations of athletes, exploring different sport disciplines. CONCLUSIONS: Numerous studies have investigated the gut microbiota of athletes, emphasizing the impact of both training and diet. Athletes' unique dietary regimens, including higher protein or carbohydrates intake, influence their gut microbiome, leading to enhanced performance. These findings uncover that diet diversity correlates with gut diversity, which is linked to metabolic benefits and a lean phenotype. Studies on rugby players, cyclists, and marathoners reveal that certain microbial species, like Prevotella and Veillonella, are more abundant in athletes and play significant roles in nutrient metabolism and exercise recovery. These findings suggest that the interaction between athletic lifestyle and the gut microbiota affects positively the metabolism of the host, by enhancing microbiota diversity, and increasing the abundance of beneficial bacteria.

Vitamin D Supplementation Improves Physical Performance in Athletes and Healthy Aging in Physically Active Adults

Vitamin D deficiency is a significant global public health issue, even in regions with all year sun exposure. Currently, the scientific community has not yet reached a unanimous agreement regarding the optimum levels of vitamin D and the precise threshold values. Additional efforts are required to standardize the evaluation of vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency and to provide uniform treatment guidelines. Epidemiological studies have identified a broad spectrum of estimated prevalences in athletes. Their performance when participating in sports. depend on their muscles, heart and lung function. It seems that athletes have significantly lower levels of vitamin D compared to the general population. However, there is a lack of comprehensive studies and systematic reviews on this subject, making it challenging to reach conclusions due to variations in laboratory techniques and cut-off values. While there is an abundant of research on the supplementation of vitamin D and its benefits, it is challenging to provide general recommendations for athletes due to the limitations of extrapolation. However, there is a rather high occurrence of Vitamin D deficiency among individuals who engage in regular physical activity. Supplementing with Vitamin D helps prevents osteoporosis, bone fractures, enhances muscle strength, avoids lung infections, heart failure, and arrhythmias. It is generally safe when used in appropriate quantities, given its wide therapeutic range. Athletes can decrease the occurrence of training dropouts caused by infection, arrhythmias, muscular weakness and potentially prevent the inability to participate in competitions through correct nutrition and vitamin D supplementation. Keywords: vitamin D; sports; muscle; heart, athletes rehabilitation, vitamin D, ventricular premature contractions, physical activity

Summatory Effects of Anaerobic Exercise and a 'Westernized Athletic Diet' on Gut Dysbiosis and Chronic Low-Grade Metabolic Acidosis.

Anaerobic exercise decreases systemic pH and increases metabolic acidosis in athletes, altering the acid-base homeostasis. In addition, nutritional recommendations advising athletes to intake higher amounts of proteins and simple carbohydrates (including from sport functional supplements) could be detrimental to restoring acid-base balance. Here, this specific nutrition could be classified as an acidic diet and defined as 'Westernized athletic nutrition'. The maintenance of a chronic physiological state of low-grade metabolic acidosis produces detrimental effects on systemic health, physical performance, and inflammation. Therefore, nutrition must be capable of compensating for systemic acidosis from anaerobic exercise. The healthy gut microbiota can contribute to improving health and physical performance in athletes and, specifically, decrease the systemic acidic load through the conversion of lactate from systemic circulation to short-chain fatty acids in the proximal colon. On the contrary, microbial dysbiosis results in negative consequences for host health and physical performance because it results in a greater accumulation of systemic lactate, hydrogen ions, carbon dioxide, bacterial endotoxins, bioamines, and immunogenic compounds that are transported through the epithelia into the blood circulation. In conclusion, the systemic metabolic acidosis resulting from anaerobic exercise can be aggravated through an acidic diet, promoting chronic, low-grade metabolic acidosis in athletes. The individuality of athletic training and nutrition must take into consideration the acid-base homeostasis to modulate microbiota and adaptive physiological responses.

An overview: health benefits, nutritional profile of Cucurbitaceae family plants (muskmelon and pumpkin) seeds and their possible usage in energy bars for athletes

The motive of this review is to give knowledge about the Cucurbitaceae family plants (muskmelon and pumpkin) seeds. Around the world, athletes are health conscious and they do not get adequate time to eat a full meal. Good nutrition is essential for the health of athletes, as well as the general public. For this, energy bars are nutritious snacks that are easily available, provide nutrients and instant energy to athletes. Energy bars are different from drinks because energy bars are healthier and help to perform better, develop muscle mass, and improve the physical performance of athletes. Energy bars are made with a combination of many ingredients. Cucurbitaceae family plant seeds are necessary ingredients to be added to the energy bars for improved health and physical performance of athletes because these seeds are good in nutritional and therapeutic properties.

Iron Status and Physical Performance in Athletes.

Iron is an important mineral in the body, essential for muscle function and oxygen transport. Adequate levels of iron in the blood are necessary for athletes, as iron-deficiency anemia can reduce physical performance. Several studies have investigated iron status and supplementation in iron-deficient athletes, and determined how physical strain can change iron balance and markers related to iron status. The question of how to influence and optimize iron status, as well as other markers that can affect iron metabolism, has been less thoroughly investigated. Therefore, the aim of this review is to take a closer look at the importance of iron values, iron markers, and factors that can change iron metabolism for physical performance and the extent to which physical performance can be influenced in a positive or negative way. A systematic search of the PubMed database was performed, with the use of « iron» or «iron deficiency» or «hemoglobin» AND «athletes» AND «athletic performance» as a strategy of the search. After the search, 11 articles were included in the review after the application of inclusion and exclusion criteria. Major findings include that iron supplementation had the best effect in athletes with the lowest iron status, and effects on physical performance were mostly achieved in those who were originally in a deficit. Iron supplementation could be beneficial for optimal erythropoietic response during altitude training, even in athletes with normal iron stores at baseline, but should be performed with caution. Alteration of the hepcidin response can affect the use of existing iron stores for erythropoiesis. Energy intake, and the amount of carbohydrates available, may have an impact on the post-exercise hepcidin response. Optimal vitamin D and B12 levels can possibly contribute to improved iron status and, hence, the avoidance of anemia.

Effects of blood flow restriction training on sports performance in athletes: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

Blood flow restriction training (BFRT) is an effective training method to improve sports performance in healthy athletes. Nevertheless, a systematic review with meta-analysis regarding how BFRT affects sports performance in athletes is still lacking. Consequently, the study attempted to expand and consolidate the prior studies regarding the effect of BFRT on technical and physical performance in athletes. This study was based on PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyzes) statement guidelines for a systematic review of the academic databases Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, EBSCOhost (SportDiscus), and Google Scholar. The PEDro scale was used to assess the methodological quality of the included publications, which ranged from moderate to high quality. The systematic review protocol was registered on inplasy.com (INPLASY202380049). Out of 249 studies identified, 93 articles were evaluated as eligible, and after the screening, 18 studies were finally included in this systematic review. Meta-analysis results showed a significant enhancement on vertical jump height in the BFRT group compared to the control group (SMD=1.39, 95% CI=0.30-2.49, P=0.01). BFRT was able to significantly increase maximal oxygen uptake (SMD=1.65, 95% CI=0.56-2.74, P<0.01). While no significant improvement in sprint time was observed (SMD= -0.18, 95% CI=-1.18-0.82, P=0.115). The finding suggests that BFRT is beneficial to athletes as this training method can be effective in enhancing physical and technical performance in athletes. Nevertheless, further analysis needs to be conducted to fully determine the effectiveness of the moderators of the intervention on sports performance.

Effectiveness of motor imagery on sports performance in football players: A randomised control trial.

Nowadays, the development of training programs for speed, agility and reaction time responses in football players is increasing widely. Motor imagery is a new method that uses collateral with physical training. However, there is still a scarcity of evidence concerning the addition of motor imagery protocol to routine training programs. The main objective was to compare speed, agility and reaction time after motor imagery training in university athletes and amateur athletes who received and did not receive motor imagery training for 2 weeks. Participants were divided into 4 subgroups as follows: university athlete group with motor imagery training and control group, amateur athlete group with motor imagery training and control group. This study collected the training effects of speed, agility and reaction time. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test and the Mann-Whitney U test were selected to analyse the differences within and between groups, respectively. The result presented positive changes in all variables after training sessions for 2 weeks in all groups. Speed at 20 m, agility, and reaction time were found to be significantly different after motor imagery training in both university athletes and amateur athletes. This finding demonstrated that the addition of the motor imagery training along with routine physical training promotes physical performance in athletes at all experience levels. In further studies, the retention effect after practice should be considered.

Impact of the COVID-19 Lockdown on the Body Composition and Physical Performance of Athletes: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis and Meta-Regression.

Sporting events were cancelled, and sports training was banned to prevent the spread of COVID-19. These changes during the COVID-19 pandemic decreased the physical activity levels, increased sedentary time, and also impaired the mental health of elite and sub-elite athletes. The impact on body composition and physical performance is not clear, however, especially considering a systematic review with meta-analysis. Thus, our objective was to conduct a review in accordance with the PRISMA Statement studies published in scientific journals (PubMed, Web of Science, or Scopus databases) that investigated the effect that social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic had on the physical performance (muscle power, cardiorespiratory capacity, and sprint) or body composition (body weight, percentage of fat, fat mass, and fat-free mass) of athletes. Data from 24 studies indicate that, throughout the global lockdown, the athletes maintained muscle power, cardiorespiratory capacity, and sprint, and prevented significant changes in fat mass and fat-free mass. However, the total body weight (meta-analysis with 18 studies), showed a significant increase (p = 0.006), with a small ES = 0.12; 95% CI = 0.04 to 0.21. Furthermore, the time of follow-up, level of training, and the age of the athletes were possible moderators of these effects. The data reinforce the importance of general strength and endurance exercises sessions to maintain physical fitness during non-competitive periods or due to the mandatory lockdown.

Translation and Validation of the Arabic Version of the Athlete Sleep Screening Questionnaire.

Sleep improves the cognitive and physical performance of athletes. A detailed questionnaire that detects sleep disruptions is required to identify sleep-deprived athletes. This study evaluates the translated Athlete Sleep Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ), a tool suggested by the International Olympic Committee, among Arabic-speaking athletes. The ASSQ was translated into Arabic and examined for floor or ceiling effects, internal consistency, and validity among Arabic-speaking athletes. The Arabic Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was employed to assess convergent validity. Ninety athletes (28.9% women) participated and completed this study's questionnaires. The Cronbach's alpha for the ASSQ-Sleep Difficulty Score (SDS) was 0.435, and that of the ASSQ-chronotype was 0.632. The SDS and chronotype subset of the ASSQ demonstrated excellent test-retest reliability, with intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.84 and 0.938, respectively. The ASSQ-SDS correlated positively with the PSQI (0.734, p = 0.001). The ASSQ-chronotype was inversely associated with the PSQI (p = 0.001). This study's findings can assist clinicians in assessing sleep disorders in sports. The Arabic version of the ASSQ has satisfactory psychometric qualities and can identify clinically relevant sleep problems in athletes.

MUSCLE RUB ENHANCED EXPLOSIVE LEG POWER BUT NOT FLEXIBILITY OR BALANCE IN COLLEGE ATHLETES

Athletes often use muscle rub to heat up the muscles during warm-up as they believe this will improve their sports performance. However, there is no clear evidence on whether muscle rub application to the upper legs can improve physical performance in athletes. Twenty college athletes were randomized to either receiving 3[Formula: see text]g of muscle rub or a placebo. Static flexibility, dynamic balance, and explosive leg power were measured before and after the application of the muscle rub/placebo. Percentage changes in the performance scores (post–pre) were calculated and compared between the muscle rub and placebo groups using the Mann–Whitney U test and the smallest worthwhile change was calculated to offer further insights for individual participants. Results showed that jump distance significantly increased by 1.7% ([Formula: see text], large effect size) with muscle rub application compared to placebo. There was no significant difference in the percentage change between muscle rub and placebo groups in flexibility ([Formula: see text]) and dynamic balance ([Formula: see text]) performances. In conclusion, application of muscle rub on the upper legs positively enhanced explosive leg power but did not affect flexibility or dynamic balance performances.

The human gut microbiome of athletes: metagenomic and metabolic insights

BackgroundThe correlation between the physical performance of athletes and their gut microbiota has become of growing interest in the past years, since new evidences have emerged regarding the importance of the gut microbiota as a main driver of the health status of athletes. In addition, it has been postulated that the metabolic activity of the microbial population harbored by the large intestine of athletes might influence their physical performances. Here, we analyzed 418 publicly available shotgun metagenomics datasets obtained from fecal samples of healthy athletes and healthy sedentary adults.ResultsThis study evidenced how agonistic physical activity and related lifestyle can be associated with the modulation of the gut microbiota composition, inducing modifications of the taxonomic profiles with an enhancement of gut microbes able to produce short-fatty acid (SCFAs). In addition, our analyses revealed a correlation between specific bacterial species and high impact biological synthases (HIBSs) responsible for the generation of a range of microbially driven compounds such vitamin B12, amino acidic derivatives, and other molecules linked to cardiovascular and age-related health-risk reduction.ConclusionsNotably, our findings show how subsist an association between competitive athletes, and modulation of the gut microbiota, and how this modulation is reflected in the potential production of microbial metabolites that can lead to beneficial effects on human physical performance and health conditions.9S4kp9Z_7R5q7_YA4omUjhVideo

Effects of acute nitrate supplementation against placebo on the physical performance of athletes in a time trial test: Systematic review and meta-analysis

Effects of acute nitrate supplementation against placebo on the physical performance of athletes in a time trial test: Systematic review and meta-analysis

Examination of sports performance parameters aimed to be explored in research on amputee football players: A Systematic Review

This systematic review aims to examine the research on the sports performance of amputee football players in terms of content and to critically analyze the significance of the tested parameters in order to improve the sports performance of amputee footballers. Research data was collected considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria on PubMed, Web of Science and Google Scholar. 88 articles were found in the first search on the Web of Science, Google Scholar and PubMed databases using predefined keywords. As a result of the evaluation made within the scope of inclusion and exclusion criteria, 15 research articles were included in this study. As a result, it has been determined that studies on amputee footballers do not carry out research to improve the sports performance of athletes, but mostly focus on studies examining the relationship between anthropometric characteristics and physical performance of athletes, or examining two or more existing sports performance parameters. Although it is important to obtain these findings, it is also important to design training models to improve current performance and investigate their effects rather than determining the current performance of athletes. It is recommended for researchers to develop new training models in future studies and to carry out studies to improve the sports performance of amputee athletes.

Effects of COVID-19 on diaphragm thickness and physical performance of athletes

Resumo Introdução Estudos sugerem que a espessura diafrag-mática (ED) está associada à força muscular inspiratória e, consequentemente, à melhor eficiência ventilatória e mecânica. Por outro lado, doenças infecciosas como a COVID-19 podem impactar a estrutura e função do apa-relho respiratório. Objetivo Avaliar a associação entre a ED e o desempenho físico (DF) de atletas e os efeitos da infecção por COVID-19 sobre esses parâmetros. Métodos Trata-se de um estudo transversal envolvendo 63 atletas de diferentes modalidades esportivas, de ambos os sexos (feminino: 16,67 ± 5,03 anos, 52,09 ± 14,01 kg, 155,90 ± 13,86 cm; masculino 23,44 ± 9,65 anos, 72,24 ± 14,18 kg, 174,84 ± 6,84 cm), que foram submetidos à avaliação da ED por meio de ultrassom e, em seguida, ao teste de DF (Yo-Yo test) para determinar o consumo máximo de oxigênio (VO2max). Utilizou-se a correlação de Pearson para verificar a associação entre VO2max e ED, e o teste t de Student para diferenças entre atletas com diagnóstico positivo e negativo para COVID-19. O nível de significância foi ajustado em 5%. Resultados Não houve associação entre ED e DF (r = 0,30 e p = 0,22) e não houve diferença entre os atletas não infectados e infectados por COVID-19 em relação à ED (57,00 ± 0,26 vs 52,00 ± 0,25%; p = 0,91) e DF (43,88 ± 2,29 vs 38,34 ± 13,61 ml/kg/min; p = 0,69). Conclusão A ED não foi associada ao consumo máximo de oxigênio em atletas. Além disso, atletas infectados por COVID-19 não exibiram diferenças no VO2max e ED em relação aos não infectados.

PREVENTION OF MICROELEMENTS DEFICIENCY IN THE BODY OF SWIMMERS

Introduction. As you know, trace elements play an important role in the life of every living cell. Deficiency of trace elements or their unbalanced ratio in food can lead to profound metabolic disorders and cause the development of a number of diseases, including "sports anemia". The content of trace elements in the blood depends on the nature of muscle activity, its volume, intensity and fitness of the body. Under the influence of systematic training, in parallel with the growth of muscles and their need for oxygen, the content of iron, copper, and manganese in the blood cells increases. At the same time, the physical performance of athletes also increases. In the practice of sports, there are very few clear recommendations for the consumption of microelements with food for athletes of various qualifications, age and gender. It is possible to say exactly how much alimentary iron (Fe), copper (Cu) and manganese (Mn) is necessary to satisfy the body's need for microelements only after studying the balance of microelements in the body of athletes, which is the most relevant today. The purpose of this study was to study the daily balance of microelements in the body of swimmers of high qualification categories. Research methods. The elemental profile of the organism of the examined contingent was established on the basis of urine analysis (morning, middle portion collected in a special container). The analysis was carried out by inductively coupled argon plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) on a Nexion 300D + NWR213 device (PerkinElmer, USA), as well as the effectiveness of prescribed drugs was assessed by indicators of capillary blood. Hemoglobin and serum iron were determined using the appropriate standard kits, hematocrit and erythrocytes were determined using conventional methods. Statistical processing of the obtained data was carried out using Microsoft Excel XP software packages (MicosoftCorp., USA) and Statistica 6.0 (StatSoft Inc., USA). Results. In our studies, it was found that the total loss of iron in most cases significantly exceeded the intake of iron with food. During the period of active rest, the absorption of iron from food increased. In most cases, his balance was positive. Through the correct selection of foods rich in trace elements, you can try to influence the balance of trace elements in the body. Conclusion. Thus, the complexes we offer to a greater or lesser extent have a positive effect on a number of important indicators, and are recommended for the prevention of anemia and, also, are highly effective and, therefore, very promising products for improving physical performance.

The Effect of Application of Asymmetry Evaluation in Competitive Sports: A Systematic Review

It has been widely asserted that the two side human body asymmetries are detrimental to the health and performance alike of athletes in training and competition. The current systematic review aims to promote a more refined understanding of bilateral asymmetry in competitive sports and explore the application of asymmetric assessment to performance, injury and rehabilitation. A systematic review of the articles was undertaken using the Web OF Science, ScienceDirect and PubMed databases in May 2022, retrieving a total of 386 studies published in all years. The study quality scoring system developed was used by two evaluators to assess the grading article quality. Twenty-two articles fulfilled our eligibility criteria. The average quality assessment rate for selected articles in this systematic review is 94.4 ± 6.3% (from 0.78 to 1.00). Articles investigated the effect of the application of asymmetry evaluation in one of the following sports types: gait related sports, upper limb sports, ball sports and multifarious sports. Asymmetry has a positive effect on physical performance in athletes engaged in upper limb movements, but it may lead to potential risk of injures in gait-related sports. When examining bilateral asymmetries among athletes in multifarious sports, the studies were primarily used to investigate the relationship between injury rehabilitation and return-to sport, with mixed findings. Further research needs to determine the possible injury-inducing threshold of asymmetry in multifarious sports and the detailed relationship between bilateral asymmetry and sports performance.

TREINAMENTO DE MANUTENÇÃO DE FORÇA NA REABILITAÇÃO DE LESÕES COMUNS EM ATLETAS DO FUTEBOL DURANTE O INVERNO

ABSTRACT Introduction: The level of soccer athletics develops rapidly, requiring athletes to be more capable of training, strengthening, and competitive readiness. Often, these characteristics are compromised by preventable injuries resulting from excessive or unreasonable training, especially in winter. The outcome is the athlete’s absence from games during the season, compromising the team’s qualification. Objective: Improve the treatment and prevention of the major injuries caused to soccer athletes in winter. Methodology: The main injuries resulting from poor training and the best practices of awareness and recovery were researched. The selected actions were implemented on ten athletes with follow-up during the entire annual season, totaling 50 games. Results: An increase in the number of active athletes during the competition phase was observed in 7 games, and competition efficiency was increased by 14%. Conclusion: Soccer players can get better rehabilitation through practical strength maintenance training in the rehabilitation phase between winter training and competitions. This scientific and rational method has a significantly positive effect on the physical performance of athletes. Evidence Level II; Therapeutic Studies – Investigating the results.

Cardiac Changes Related to COVID-19 in Athletes: A Brief Review.

Purpose of ReviewTo describe the cardiac changes related to COVID-19 in athletes, in addition to presenting the current recommendations for cardiac assessment and return to sport after COVID-19 infection.Recent FindingsThe current state of the art suggests that myocarditis and pericarditis are the main cardiac pathologies related to the COVID-19 infection in athletes even after recovery. The criteria for determining and evaluating cardiac conditions are still discussed, as well as what stage of infection do cardiomyopathies occur. Return to sport should be aligned with cardiovascular risk stratification.SummaryCardiac changes related to COVID-19 infection have drawn the attention in the sports medicine field, while some questions about the course of the disease and its relationship with physical performance in athletes are still under investigation. In addition, feasible assessment techniques for cardiac assessments should be explored in the future.