Food restriction, performance, biochemical, psychological, and endocrine changes in judo athletes.

In order to test the hypothesis that dietary restriction may have a negative influence on physiological and psychological adaptation to a judo competition, we examined the effects of weight loss induced by restricting energy and fluid intake on the physiology, psychology, and physical performance of judo athletes. Twenty male judoka were randomly assigned to one of two groups (Group A: called diet, n = 10; height 174.8 +/- 1.9 cm, body weight 75.9 +/- 3.1 kg; they were asked to lose approximately 5 % of their body weight through self-determined means during the week before the competition; Group B: called control, n = 10; height 176.4 +/- 1.1 cm, body weight 73.3 +/- 6.3 kg maintained their body weight during the week before the competition). A battery of tests was performed during a baseline period (T1), on the morning of a simulated competition (T2) and 10 min after the end of the competition (T3). The test battery included assessment for body composition, performance tests, evaluation of mood, determination of metabolic and hormonal responses. Dietary data were collected using a 7-day diet record. The nutrient analysis indicated that all the athletes followed a low carbohydrate diet whatever the period of the investigation. For the Group A, the food restriction (- 4 MJ per day) resulted in significant decreases of the body weight and altered the mood by increasing Fatigue, Tension and decreasing Vigour. Dietary restriction had also a significant influence on metabolic and endocrine parameters and was associated with poor performance. After the competition, significant decreases of the levels in testosterone, T/C ratio, alkali reserve, and free fatty acid were observed in both groups, whereas the plasma concentrations in insulin, ammonia, urea, and uric acid were increased. In conclusion, our results suggest that the combination of energy restriction and intense exercise training, which causes weight reduction before a competition, adversely affects the physiology and psychology of judo athletes and impairs physical performance before the competition. Our data are the first to demonstrate that a competition including five 5-min bouts induced the same changes of physiological and psychological variables and performance whatever the dietary intake (dietary restriction or not) during the seven days before the competition.

Energy demands during a judo match and recovery.

OBJECTIVE: To assess energy demand during a judo match and the kinetics of recovery by measuring the metabolites of the oxypurine cascade, lipolytic activity, and glycolytic pathway. METHODS: Venous blood samples were taken from 16 national judoists (mean (SEM) age 18.4 (1.6) years), before (T(1)) and three minutes (T(2)), one hour (T(3)), and 24 hours (T(4)) after a match. A seven day diet record was used to evaluate nutrient intake. RESULTS: Nutrient analysis indicated that these athletes followed a low carbohydrate diet. Plasma lactate concentration had increased to 12.3 (1.8) mmol/l at the end of the match. An increase in the levels of extracellular markers of muscle adenine nucleotide catabolism, urea, and creatinine was observed at T(2), while uric acid levels remained unchanged. High concentrations of urea persisted for 24 hours during the recovery period. Ammonia, hypoxanthine, xanthine, and creatinine returned to control levels within the 24 hour recovery period. Uric acid concentrations rose from T(3) and had not returned to baseline 24 hours after the match. The levels of triglycerides, glycerol, and free fatty acids had increased significantly (p<0.05) after the match (T(2)) but returned to baseline values within 24 hours. Concentrations of high density lipoprotein cholesterol and total cholesterol were significantly increased after the match. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that a judo match induces both protein and lipid metabolism. Carbohydrate availability, training adaptation, and metabolic stress may explain the requirement for these types of metabolism.

Effect of endurance training and/or fish oil supplemented diet on cytoplasmic fatty acid binding protein in rat skeletal muscles and heart.

Endurance training and/or a fish oil supplemented diet affect cytoplasmic fatty acid binding protein (FABP(c)) content in rat skeletal muscles and heart. After 8 weeks of swimming, trained rats exhibited higher FABP(c) content in the extensor digitorum longus (EDL) and in the gastrocnemius than did control rats (30%). The FABP(c) increase was associated with an increase of citrate synthase activity (85% and 93%, respectively, in the two muscles), whereas lactate dehydrogenase activity decreased significantly. In contrast, in the soleus and in the heart we did not observe any effect of exercise either on FABP(c) or on the metabolic profile. Therefore, increasing oxidative capacities of muscle by exercise resulted in a concomitant increase of the FABP(c) content. Giving a polyunsaturated fatty acid (omega-3) supplemented diet for eight weeks induced a large rise of the FABP(c) in EDL (300%), gastrocnemius (250%), soleus (50%) and heart (15%) without a concurrent accumulation of intramuscular triglycerides or modification of the citrate synthase activity, suggesting that polyunsaturated fatty acids may increase FABP(c) content by up-regulating fatty acid metabolism genes via peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha activation. Endurance trained rats fed with an omega-3 diet had similar FABP(c) content in the gastrocnemius muscle when compared to sedentary omega-3 fed rats, whereas an additive effect of exercise and diet was observed in the EDL. The FABP(c) in the soleus and in the heart of rats fed with omega-3 supplements remained constant whether rats performed exercise or not. As a result, both exercise and omega-3-enriched diet influenced FABP(c) content in muscle. These two physiological treatments presumably acted on FABP(c) content by increasing fatty acid flux within the cell.

Food restriction, performance, psychological state and lipid values in judo athletes.

Dietary intake, plasma lipids, lipoprotein and apolipoprotein levels, anthropometric measurements and anaerobic performance were studied in eleven judo athletes during a period of weight maintenance (T1) and after a 7d food restriction (T2). Dietary data were collected using a 7-day diet record. Nutrient analysis indicated that these athletes followed a low carbohydrate diet whatever the period of the investigation. Moreover, mean micronutrient intakes were below the French recommendations. Food restriction resulted in significant decreases in body weight. In addition, it had significant influence on triglyceride and free fatty acid, although glycerol, total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C, apolipoprotein A-1 and B did not alter. Left arm strength and 30 s jumping test decreased significantly. The 7 s jumping test was not affected by the food restriction. Regardless of psychological parameters, tension, anger, fatigue and confusion were significantly elevated from T1 to T2; vigor was significantly lower. The data indicated that a 7-day food restriction adversely affects the physiology and psychology of judo athletes and impairs physical performance, possibly due to inadequate carbohydrate and micronutrients.

A rapid and sensitive fluorometric assay of serum phospholipid.

A fluorometric assay of phospholipid in serum is presented. The reaction is based upon the binding of phospholipids with a fluorescent probe: 1-6-Diphenyl-1-3-5 hexatriene (DPH). The method is in very good agreement with other techniques for phospholipid estimation: phosphorus assay phospholipid extraction (Fiske and Subarrow), and enzymatic assay of phospholipid containing choline (Takayama). The correlation coefficient obtained was 0.81, when the proposed method was compared with the two other ones. Parameters influencing the reaction: DPH concentration, time and temperature of incubation are described. The normal range for human serum lies between 2.1 and 3.4 mmol/l. The sensitivity of the fluorometric assay is also sufficient for the determination of phospholipid in amniotic fluid and broncho-alveolar washings.