Vitamin D and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation in athletes with exercise-induced bronchoconstriction: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this pilot study was to determine the combined effect of vitamin D and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) supplementation on airway function and inflammation in recreational athletes with exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB). METHODS: Ten recreational athletes with EIB participated in a single-blind, placebo-controlled trial over six consecutive weeks. All subjects attended the laboratory on three occasions. Each visit was separated by a period of 3 weeks: visit 1 (usual diet), visit 2 (placebo) and visit 3 (SMARTFISH® NutriFriend 2000; 30 µg vitamin D3-3000 mg eicosapentaenoic acid, 3000 mg docosahexaenoic acid) consumed once daily for a period of 3 weeks. Venous blood was collected at the beginning of each trial to determine vitamin D status. Spirometry was performed pre- and post-eucapnic voluntary hyperpnoea (EVH). RESULTS: The Maximum fall in FEV1 (ΔFEV1max) post-EVH was not different between visits (usual diet: -15.9 ± 3.6%, placebo: -16.1 ± 6.1%, vitamin D + omega-3 PUFA: -17.8 ± 7.2%). Serum vitamin D remained unchanged between visits. CONCLUSION: Vitamin D and omega-3 PUFA supplementation does not attenuate the reduction in lung function post-EVH. This finding should be viewed as preliminary until the results of randomised controlled trials are made available.

Fatigue management in the preparation of Olympic athletes.

Fatigue is often a consequence of physical training and the effective management of fatigue by the coach and athlete is essential in optimizing adaptation and performance. In this paper, we explore a range of practical and contemporary methods of fatigue management for Olympic athletes. We assesses the scientific merit of methods for monitoring fatigue, including self-assessment of training load, self-scored questionnaires, and the usefulness of saliva and blood diagnostic markers for indicating fatigued and under-recovered athletes, effective nutrition and hydration strategies for optimizing recovery and short-term recovery methods. We conclude that well-accepted methods such as sufficient nutrition, hydration, and rest appear to be the most effective strategies for optimizing recovery in Olympic athletes.