ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of Bushen Jianpi Huoxue Recipe, a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine for tonifying the kidney, invigorating the spleen and promoting blood circulation, on tibial stress injuries in rabbits. METHODS: Thirty-five mature male rabbits were used in the experiment, and randomly divided into 7 groups: sedentary control (SC) group, 1-week exercise (E-1W) group, 2-week exercise (E-2W) group, 3-week exercise (E-3W) group, 4-week exercise (E-4W) group, 3-week exercise and 1-week Chinese herbal medicine treatment (EMT-1W) group, and 4-week exercise and 2-week Chinese herbal medicine treatment (EMT-2W) group. There were 5 rabbits in each group. A rabbit model of tibial stress injuries was established by stimulating the rabbits to jump and run within a high-voltage and low-current electronic cage. Radiologic features, bone scintigraphy, histology and electron microscopy of rabbit tibia were observed, and the content of blood parathyroid hormone (PTH), bone gla protein (BGP) and testosterone was detected by using radioimmunoassay method. RESULTS: After 2-week exercise, changes in histology and osteocytes had a tendency towards stress injuries. Serum PTH and BGP levels were remarkably increased, while serum testosterone level was lower than that in the SC group. Three- and four-week continuous exercise resulted in tibial stress injuries, and the positive changes were observed in X-ray features and radionuclide images. Compared with E-3W group, the levels of serum BGP and testosterone were decreased remarkably. A series of positive results such as prevailing negativeness of X-ray features and radionuclide images, increasing process of osteogenesis, typical osteogenic phase of osteocytes and favorable transformation of biochemical markers was shown in EMT-1W and EMT-2W groups. It also showed remarkable rising levels of serum BGP and testosterone and remarkable reducing level of serum PTH in EMT-1W and EMT-2W groups as compared with E-1W and E-2W groups. CONCLUSION: Bushen Jianpi Huoxue Recipe can prevent and treat exercise-induced tibial stress injuries by stimulating new bone formation and increasing serum testosterone level.
ABSTRACT
In order to probe into the peripheral mechanism of exercise-induced low level of serum testosterone and to explore an effective Chinese medicine compound for ameliorating this serious situation, a rat model of intensive swimming training was conducted, and the ultrastructure of testis in rats and the effects of Chinese medicine compound on this were studied with morphometry. Results showed that the volume of lipid droplets in rat testicular Leydig cells decreased after long term endurance training,which may be one of the causes of exercise-induced low level of serum testosterone; however, the administration of traditional Chinese medicine compound for invigorating qi and tonifying the kidney could improve the transportation of cholesterol and recovery of the testosterone level in serum.
ABSTRACT
Objective: We performed a randomized double-blind study in distance runners to investigate the possible biological effects of daily consumption of soybean peptides. Methods: Twenty-one trained male distance runners, randomly divided into three groups: control group (C,n=7), carbohydrate supplementation group (CS, n=6) and soybean peptides supplementation group (SP,n=8), took part in the study.Their hormonal and serum metabolic profile was examined in a 4-week program of strenuous training. Daily training (4～6 hours per day, endurance and strength), food and medication were similar for all athletes. Group SP received a soy sports beverage supplement containing 8g soybean peptides and 35g carbohydrate once a day. Group CS received a sport drink containing 35g carbohydrate. Group C supplemented a placebo identical in appearance and flavor. Body weight, lean body mass, RPE, serum total testosterone, blood urea, hemogram, lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase and immunoglobulins were measured before, during and after the 4-week training program. Results: Data demonstrated that Group SP had an increase in body weight, especially in lean body mass and cyclic total testosterone level (P