Nutrition, Pharmacological and Training Strategies Adopted by Six Bodybuilders: Case Report and Critical Review.

The purpose of this study was to report and analyze the practices adopted by bodybuilders in light of scientific evidence and to propose evidence-based alternatives. Six (four male and two female) bodybuilders and their coaches were directly interviewed. According to the reports, the quantity of anabolic steroids used by the men was 500-750 mg/week during the bulking phase and 720-1160 mg during the cutting phase. The values for women were 400 and 740 mg, respectively. The participants also used ephedrine and hydrochlorothiazide during the cutting phase. Resistance training was designed to train each muscle once per week and all participants performed aerobic exercise in the fasted state in order to reduce body fat. During the bulking phase, bodybuilders ingested ~2.5 g of protein/kg of body weight. During the cutting phase, protein ingestion increased to ~3 g/kg and carbohydrate ingestion decreased by 10-20%. During all phases, fat ingestion corresponded to ~15% of the calories ingested. The supplements used were whey protein, chromium picolinate, omega 3 fatty acids, branched chain amino acids, poly-vitamins, glutamine and caffeine. The men also used creatine in the bulking phase. In general, the participants gained large amounts of fat-free mass during the bulking phase; however, much of that fat-free mass was lost during the cutting phase along with fat mass. Based on our analysis, we recommend an evidence-based approach by people involved in bodybuilding, with the adoption of a more balanced and less artificial diet. One important alert should be given for the combined use of anabolic steroids and stimulants, since both are independently associated with serious cardiovascular events. A special focus should be given to revisiting resistance training and avoiding fasted cardio in order to decrease the reliance on drugs and thus preserve bodybuilders' health and integrity.

Ação do licopeno nos músculos esquelético e cardíaco sob estresse oxidativo por exercícios / Action of lycopene on the cardiac and skeletal muscles under oxidative stress by exercises / Acción del licopeno en los músculos cardiaco y esquelético bajo estrés oxidativo por ejercicios

INTRODUÇÃO: Os radicais livres produzidos durante os exercícios podem exceder o sistema de defesa antioxidante, provocando danos oxidativos de biomoléculas específicas. As lesões causadas pelos radicais livres nas células podem ser prevenidas ou reduzidas por meio da atividade de antioxidantes naturais, sendo estes encontrados em muitos alimentos. O licopeno é um dos mais potentes carotenoides com ação antioxidante, sendo utilizado na prevenção da carcinogênese e aterogênese por proteger moléculas como lipídios, lipoproteínas de baixa densidade (LDL), proteínas e DNA. OBJETIVO: Investigar a atuação do licopeno a uma possível ação protetora das fibras musculares cardíacas e esqueléticas contra o estresse oxidativo, durante a atividade física exaustiva, a qual provocaria alterações morfológicas nesses tecidos. Método: Na realização dos experimentos foram utilizados 32 ratos machos adultos divididos em quatro grupos, sendo dois grupos controles e dois grupos treinados sem e com suplementação de licopeno (6 mg por animal). Os animais dos grupos treinados foram submetidos a 42 sessões de natação por nove semanas, com sessões diárias de natação, cinco dias por semana, com sobrecarga produzida pelo aumento do tempo de treinamento. A avaliação morfológica foi realizada por meio de lâminas histológicas dos tecidos cardíaco e muscular esquelético. RESULTADOS: Modificações teciduais cardíacas e musculares esqueléticas no grupo treinado sem suplementação com licopeno foram observadas, sendo que o grupo treinado suplementado apresentou aspecto morfológico normal. Nos grupos sedentários controle suplementado e não suplementado não houve alteração ...

INTRODUCTION: Free radicals produced during exercise may exceed the antioxidant defense system, causing oxidative damage to specific biomolecules. The lesions caused by free radicals in cells can be prevented or reduced by natural antioxidants, which are found in many foods. Lycopene is one of the most potent carotenoids with antioxidant properties, and it is used to prevent carcinogenesis and atherogenesis, as it protects molecules such as lipids, low-density lipoproteins (LDL), proteins and DNA. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of lycopene as a potential protector of cardiac and skeletal muscle fibers against oxidative stress during strenuous exercise, which would cause morphological changes in these tissues. METHODS: The experiments consisted of 32 adult male rats divided into four groups: two control groups and two trained groups with and without lycopene supplementation (6 mg per animal). The animals of the trained groups were subjected to 42 swimming sessions over a nine-week period, involving daily swimming sessions, five days a week, with overload produced by increasing the training time. The morphological analysis was performed using histological slides of cardiac and skeletal muscle tissues. RESULTS: Modifications were observed in cardiac and skeletal muscle tissue in the trained group that did not receive lycopene supplementation, while the trained group supplemented with lycopene showed muscle tissue with a normal morphological appearance. The tissues of both supplemented and non supplemented sedentary control groups showed no change in their histological characteristics. CONCLUSION: It can be stated that lycopene exerted a protective effect on cardiac and skeletal muscles against oxidative stress induced by strenuous exercise, besides promoting cardiac neovascularization, and can be used efficiently by athletes and physically active individuals. .

INTRODUCCIÓN: Los radicales libres producidos durante los ejercicios pueden exceder el sistema de defensa antioxidante, provocando daños oxidativos de biomoléculas específicas. Las lesiones causadas por los radicales libres en las células pueden ser prevenidas o reducidas por medio de la actividad de antioxidantes naturales, siendo éstos encontrados en muchos alimentos. El licopeno es uno de los más potentes carotenoides con acción antioxidante, siendo utilizado en la prevención de la carcinogénesis y aterogénesis por proteger moléculas como lípidos, lipoproteínas de baja densidad (LDL), proteínas y DNA. OBJETIVO: Investigar la actuación del licopeno a una posible acción protectora de las fibras musculares cardiacas y esqueléticas contra el estrés oxidativo, durante la actividad física exhaustiva, la cual provocaría alteraciones morfológicas en esos tejidos. MÉTODOS: En la realización de los experimentos fueron utilizados 32 ratones machos adultos divididos en cuatro grupos, siendo dos grupos controles y dos grupos entrenados sin y con suplementación de licopeno (6 mg por animal). Los animales de los grupos entrenados fueron sometidos a 42 sesiones de natación por nueve semanas, con sesiones diarias de natación, cinco días por semana, con sobrecarga producida por el aumento del tiempo de entrenamiento. La evaluación morfológica fue realizada por medio de láminas histológicas de los tejidos cardiaco y muscular esquelético. RESULTADOS: Fueron observadas modificaciones tisulares cardiacas y musculares esqueléticas en el grupo entrenado sin suplementación con licopeno, siendo que el grupo entrenado suplementado presentó aspecto morfológico normal. En los grupos sedentarios control suplementado y no suplementado no hubo alteración en relación ...

The measurement of lactate threshold in resistance exercise: a comparison of methods.

Resistance incremental tests (IT) make it possible to determine critical metabolic and cardiovascular changes, such as the lactate threshold (LT). Different methods are frequently used to improve the exactness of LT identification. The objective of the study was to identify LT by four different methods (visual inspection, log-log, algorithmic adjustment and QLac) during resistance exercise and to evaluate which methods present more precision. Twelve men performed a maximal IT on the leg press at relative intensities of 10%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80% and 90% of 1RM with 1-min stages. During the 2-min interval between stages, capillary blood was collected for blood lactate analysis. LT was detected using each of the four methods. The intensity of LT by visual inspection method was 26·9 (5·2)% of 1RM, adjustment algorithmic method was 27·8 (3·6)% of 1RM, log-log method was 23·3 (3·5)% of 1RM and QLac method was 31·6 (9·8)% of 1RM, with significant difference only between log-log and QLac methods. Bland and Altman analysis shows better concordance for visual inspection versus adjustment algorithmic methods. The visual inspection, algorithmic and log-log methods detected the LT at the same intensity. The mathematical models, specially the algorithmic method, provide more precision.

Effects of ovariectomy and resistance training on MMP-2 activity in rat calcaneal tendon.

Tendon remodeling relies on extracellular matrix (ECM) restructuring by the matrix metallopeptidases (MMPs). The aim of this study was to investigate MMP-2 activity in different regions of the calcaneal tendon (CT) after resistance training (RT) in ovariectomized rats. Wistar adult female rats were grouped into sedentary (Sed-Intact), ovariectomized sedentary (Sed-Ovx), acute exercise (AcuteEx-Intact), ovariectomized acute exercise (AcuteEx-Ovx), resistance trained (ChronicEx-Intact), and ovariectomized resistance trained (ChronicEx-Ovx) (n = 10 each group). The RT protocol required the animals to climb a 1.1-m vertical ladder with weights attached to their tail. The sessions were performed once every 3 days with 4-9 climbs and 8-12 dynamic movements per scaling. The acute groups performed one session and the chronic groups underwent 12 weeks of RT. There was an increase in total MMP-2 activity in Sed-Ovx, AcuteEx-Intact, and ChronicEx-Intact compared with that in Sed-Intact in the proximal region of CT. AcuteEx-Ovx exhibited higher total MMP-2 than Sed-Ovx and AcuteEx-Intact in the distal region of CT. Chronic-Ovx presented lower total MMP-2 activity than Sed-Ovx and Chronic-Intact in the distal region of tendon. The active MMP-2 was higher for the AcuteEx-Ovx than Sed-Ovx and AcuteEx-Intact in proximal region of tendon. There was higher active MMP-2 in the distal region of tendon in the Acute-Ovx than in the Sed-Ovx and AcuteEx-Intact. Ovariectomy and resistance exercise modulate MMP-2 activity according to specific tendon region, indicating a differentiated tissue remodeling.