Pre-exercise nutrition: the role of macronutrients, modified starches and supplements on metabolism and endurance performance
—Endurance athletes rarely compete in the fasted state, as this may compromise fuel stores. Thus, the timing and composition of the pre-exercise meal is a significant consideration for optimizing metabolism and subsequent endurance performance. This article discusses pre-exercise consumption of carbohydrate, fat, protein, caffeine, beetroot juice and more, for endurance performance. (Ormsbee MJ et al., Nutrients)
Effects of dietary intervention in young female athletes with menstrual disorders
—This report provides further support for the role of energy deficiency in menstrual disorders among young female athletes. Continuation controlled dietary intervention is needed to assess the extent to which long-term improvement in the nutritional status results in improvements in the hormonal status of female athletes, to an extent that would allow the regulation of the menstrual cyclity. (Lagowska K et al., Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition)
Effect of living area and sports club participation on physical fitness in children: a 4-year longitudinal study
—children living in urban areas and children participating in sports clubs were found to be fitter and fitness progressed faster than in their counterparts in terms of endurance and muscle strength. These findings suggest that sports club programs offering appealing arrangements could be a good means to increase physical fitness in children living in rural areas. (Golle et al., 2014, BMC Public Health)
Do glucose containing beverages play a role in thermoregulation, thermal sensation, and mood state?
—Dehydration limits the appropriate delivery of oxygen and substrates to the working muscle. Further, the brain’s ability to function may also be compromised whereby thermal sensation and mood state may be altered. (Yongsuk Seo et al., 2014, Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition)
Motor abilities and anthropometrics in youth cross-country skiing
—the purposes were to validate whether general motor abilities and anthropometrics are determinants of youth cross-country (XC) skiing performance; evaluate gender-specific differences; and to establish noninvasive diagnostics. (Stöggl, R., Müller, E. and Stöggl, T., Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports)
Factors affecting the relative age effect in NHL athletes
—the relative age effect (RAE) has been reported for a number of different activities. The RAE is the phenomena whereby players born in the first few months of a competition year are advantaged for selection to elite sports. Much of the literature has identified elite male athletics, such as the National Hockey League (NHL), as having consistently large RAEs. We propose that RAE may be lessened in the NHL since the last examination. (Caroline I. Parent-Harvey; Christophe Desjardins; Edward J. Harvey, Canadian Journal of Surgery)
