Low Energy Intake Leads to Body Composition and Performance Decrements in a Highly-Trained, Female Athlete: The WANDER (Woman's Activity and Nutrition during an Extensive Hiking Route) Case Study.

OBJECTIVE: This case study's purpose was to quantify energy intake vs energy expenditure during a thru-hiker's trek and assess its relationship to performance and health. METHODS: A highly trained, female thru-hiker (Age (yrs): 62, Ht (cm): 157, Wt (kg): 53.5, BMI (kg/m2): 21.7, %BF: 26.0) embarked on a 4-month journey through the Pacific Crest Trail, USA. The athlete's body composition and 3-day diet record were assessed before (PRE) and after the hike (POST). During the hike, she tracked her diet and performance daily and completed a wellness survey each time she reached a town-check point. Data were analyzed for descriptive (weekly averages, means ± SD) and frequency statistics. RESULTS: She spent 10 wk (∼70 days) on the trail and hiked 1,506.35 km (26.1 ± 3.2 km/day) with an estimated energy expenditure of ∼2334 ± 351 kcal/day. During the hike, she under consumed calories (1285.3 ± 103 kcal) and dietary carbohydrate (169.5 ± 19.5g), fat (49.7 ± 5.8g), protein (41.9 ± 4.8g; 0.8 g/kg), fiber (11.8 ± 2.1g) and sodium (1642.4 ± 298.6 mg) when compared to ultra-endurance nutrition recommendations. She was unable to complete the trail due to fatigue and anthropometric changes. By POST, she had decreased total mass (PRE: 53.5 kg vs POST: 48.4 kg), BMI (PRE 21.6 vs POST: 19.5), fat-free mass (PRE: 39.6 vs POST: 38.8), and body fat (PRE: 26% vs POST: 19.6%) when compared to PRE. CONCLUSION: Trail-related challenges combined with high energy expenditures led to low nutrient intake which contributed to trail-ending injuries and performance decrements. Research aimed at addressing the barriers associated with thru-hike fueling is needed to identify nutritional opportunities to support hikers' performance and reduce injury risks.

Routine Yoga Practice Impacts Whole Body Protein Utilization in Healthy Women.

Whole body protein utilization (WBPU), which includes flux (Q), protein synthesis (PS), protein breakdown (PB), and whole body protein balance (WBPB), provides insight regarding muscle mass, a criterion for sarcopenia. To characterize yoga's impact on WBPU, body composition and functional measures in healthy (50-65 years) women. WBPU and functional measures were compared between women who routinely practiced yoga (YOGA; n = 7) and nonactive counterparts (CON; n = 8). Q (0.61 ± 0.06 vs. 0.78 ± 0.07, p = .04), PS (3.07 ± 0.37 vs. 4.17 ± 0.40, p = .03), PB (2.59 ± 0.48 vs. 3.80 ± 0.48, p = .05) were lower, and lean body mass higher (64 ± 1 vs. 58 ± 2%, p ≤ .01) for YOGA vs. CON, respectively. WBPB and functional measures were similar. Routine yoga practice influenced WBPU in healthy older women. Study findings are novel and provide a basis for future investigations evaluating long-term benefits of yoga as an alternative mode of exercise for maintaining muscle mass in support of active aging.

Chocolate milk and endurance exercise recovery: protein balance, glycogen, and performance.

PURPOSE: This study examined effects of fat-free chocolate milk (MILK) consumption on kinetic and cellular markers of protein turnover, muscle glycogen, and performance during recovery from endurance exercise. METHODS: Male runners participated in two trials separated by 1 wk and consumed either MILK or a nonnitrogenous isocaloric carbohydrate (CHO) control beverage (CON) after a 45-min run at 65% of V˙O(2peak). Postexercise muscle protein fractional synthetic rate (FSR) and whole-body protein turnover were determined during 3 h of recovery using muscle biopsies and primed constant infusions of L-[ring-²H5]phenylalanine and L-[1-¹³C]leucine, respectively. Phosphorylation of translational signaling proteins and activity of proteolytic molecules were determined using Western blotting and enzymatic activity assays. Muscle glycogen was quantified, and treadmill time to exhaustion was determined after the recovery period. RESULTS: Consuming MILK after exercise resulted in higher mixed muscle FSR with lower whole-body proteolysis and synthesis compared with CON (P ≤ 0.05). Phosphorylation of eIF4E-BP1 and FOXO3a was higher for MILK (P < 0.01), whereas Akt phosphorylation was lower during recovery regardless of dietary treatment (P < 0.05). Enzymatic activity assays indicated lower caspase-3 activity during recovery for MILK (P < 0.01) and higher 26S proteasome activity for CON (P < 0.01). Muscle glycogen was not affected by either dietary treatment; however, time to exhaustion was greater for MILK than for CON (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The effects of consumption of MILK after endurance exercise on FSR, signaling molecules of skeletal muscle protein turnover, leucine kinetics, and performance measures suggest unique benefits of milk compared with a CHO-only beverage.