Combined effects of a Mediterranean diet and respiratory muscle training on higher education woodwind musicians: A randomized controlled trial.

A two-factor within subjects and randomized controlled was conducted with three groups (two experimental and one control) to explore the effects of the Mediterranean diet and respiratory muscle training on ventilatory fatigue, stress, and emotional performance of woodwind musicians. 70 students from the Valencia Conservatory of Music were recruited and randomized into three groups: respiratory training group + nutrition program (RTG; n = 17), control group (CG; n = 35) and nutrition program group (NPG; n = 18). The nutritional program was based on Mediterranean a diet. Body composition, emotional intelligence, physiological stress and ventilatory response were assessed for all groups before and after intervention. Mixed ANOVA showed main effects of diet and training interventions on emotional attention (F = 8.042; p = 0.006), clarity (F = 9.306; p = 0.003), repair (F = 5.527; p = 0.022), Forced-Expiratory-Volume (F = 30.196; p < 0.000) and Forced-Vital-Capacity (F = 21.052; p < 0.000), with both interventions improving emotional intelligence and ventilatory variables. Bonferroni post-hoc analysis revealed significant differences of RTG and CG for emotional attention (MD = 4.60; p = 0.023), comprehension (MD = 5.734; p = 0.005), repair (MD = 8.576; p < 0.000), FEV1 (MD = 0.862; p = 0.005), and FCV (MD = 1.608; p < 0.001); with similar results when comparing NTG and CG: emotional attention (MD = 4.156; p = 0.041), comprehension (MD = 4.473; p = 0.033), repair (MD = 6.511; p = 0.001), Forced-Expiratory-Volume (MD = 1.608; p < 0.001), and Forced-Vital-Capacity (MD = 1.183; p < 0.001). No significant effects of experimental groups were observed for physiological stress variables (p > 0.05). This results suggests that respiratory training enhances emotional intelligence and lessens respiratory fatigue in musicians, and a combination of a Mediterranean diet and respiratory muscle training further boosts emotional intelligence, albeit with limited impact on physiological stress. This study represents a novel investigation into the approach by dietary interventions and respiratory muscle training in wind musicians since there are no studies that analyze it.

Recovery after Running an "Everesting" Mountain Ultramarathon.

Blood markers of muscle microdamage and systemic inflammation do not adequately explain the reduced performance observed over a prolonged recovery after running a mountain ultramarathon. This case study aimed to determine whether the reduced performance after the Everesting mountain ultramarathon can be further assessed by considering cardiorespiratory and metabolic alterations determined via repeated incremental and continuous running tests. A single runner (age: 24 years, BM: 70 kg, BMI: 22, Vo2peak: 74 mL∙min-1∙kg-1) was observed over a preparatory period of two months with a one-month recovery period. The Everesting consisted of nine ascents and descents of 9349 vertical metres completed in 18:22 (h:min). During the first phase of the recovery, enhanced peak creatine kinase (800%) and C-reactive protein (44%) levels explained the decreased performance. In contrast, decreased performance during the second, longer phase was associated with a decreased lactate threshold and Vo2 (21% and 17%, respectively), as well as an increased energetic cost of running (15%) and higher endogenous carbohydrate oxidation rates (87%), lactate concentrations (170%) and respiratory muscle fatigue sensations that remained elevated for up to one month. These alterations may represent characteristics that can explain the second phase of the recovery process after Everesting.