Experimental random spot testing for drugs in sportsmen.

Twenty-eight active international athletes agreed to be available for random spot urine collections at their homes, places of work and training. Suitable briefed collectors were arranged to conduct the spot collections and forward the specimens for analysis. An average number of 3.4 collections per athlete was made in the 9 month period of the trial. Overall there was a "failure to collect" percentage of 14 during the winter months and 54 during the summer months. The average time interval between initial contact with the athlete and collection was 11 hours 50 minutes. It is concluded that random spot collections of urine from active athletes in training is possible and practical. Improved collection rates could be achieved by additional spot collection at athletic events during the summer and by using regionally based mobile collectors responsible for several athletes.     

Pulmonary capacities of different groups of sportsmen in India.

Pulmonary functional capacities, vital capacity (VC) maximum voluntary ventilation (MVV), forced expiratory volume in 1 second and FEV 1.0 (per cent VC) of 168 sportsmen belonging to different sports activities and of 10 sedentary individuals have been studied. It was observed that all these pulmonary functional capacities of different groups of sportsmen were higher than those of the sedentary group. The mean VC of the basketball, boxing, cricket, football, hockey and the table tennis groups, the mean MVV of all the groups except the athletic, badminton and football groups, and the mean FEV 1.0 of football, hockey, swimming and volleyball groups were significantly higher than those of the sedentary group. The mean values of all the three pulmonary functional capacities of only the hockey group were found to be significantly higher than those of the sedentary individuals. The available reported pulmonary capacity values, except FEV 1.0 of a few groups of sportsmen studied abroad, were higher than those of their counterparts studied here. These might be due to the ethnic variation as well as the variation in age, body size and level of physical fitness which influence the different pulmonary capacities.     

Effect of altitude training on the peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes in sportsmen.

PURPOSE: The aim of this work was an evaluation of the influence of physical exercise in high-altitude conditions (about 2000 m above sea level) on thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities in 10 kayakers and 10 rowers. METHODS: During their training, the sportsmen performed different kinds of static and dynamic efforts. The blood samples were taken from the cubital vein on the control day at low altitude and at high altitude, and on the 4th, 10th, and 18th days of the training camp before and after exercise. The TBARS and lactic acid concentrations in blood plasma and SOD and CAT activities in erythrocytes were measured. RESULTS: A statistically significant increase of SOD and CAT activities in erythrocytes after exercise on the 4th, 10th, and 18th days of training was found. The TBARS concentration in erythrocytes decreased in a statistically significant way after the end of the 10th day of exercise (P < 0.01), and on 18th day it more than doubled (P < 0.001) when preexercise values were compared with postexercise values of each day. A statistically significant increase of TBARS concentration in blood plasma was observed only after the end of exercise on the 10th day-using the same comparison as above. A statistically significant increased lactic acid concentration in blood plasma was noticed both on 4th or 18th days of training. CONCLUSIONS: The results obtained show the increasing generation of oxygen-derived free radicals and the compensatory intensification of SOD and CAT activities after training in altitude (high mountain) conditions.     

Effects of creatine supplementation on cerebral white matter in competitive sportsmen.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the neurobiochemical sequelae of oral creatine monohydrate supplementation in active athletes. DESIGN/PARTICIPANTS: Eighteen sportsmen underwent single-voxel proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the deep frontal cerebral white matter before and after 5 days of oral ingestion: 12 of 18 swallowed 4 x 5 g creatine monohydrate per day, and the remaining swallowed a placebo. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Creatine, choline, and N-acetyl spectral resonances were evaluated at both long (135 ms) and short (20 ms) echo times. RESULTS: A mixed-design factorial ANOVA demonstrated no interaction over time in any of the measures (P at least 0.081). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that, for the given dosage regimen, ingested creatine augmentation does not alter the magnetic resonance visible creatine pool in the deep frontal cerebral white matter of young active sportsmen.     

Smoking habits in professional football.

In a questionnaire study of 1,559 English professional footballers, the incidence of cigarette smoking was found to be much lower than the national average. Of those surveyed only 5% admitted to cigarette smoking. Smoking was much lower in First Division Clubs (3.2%), and higher in Fourth Division Clubs (6.9%). It is suggested that these figures could be used in a national campaign to promote non-smoking amongst young people who follow football.     

戒烟联合N-乙酰半胱氨酸改善烟熏大鼠肺损伤研究

目的观察戒烟和N-乙酰半胱氨酸(NAC)干预对大鼠肺组织形态的影响以及血浆同型半胱氨酸(HCY)水平的变化。方法将雄性Wistar大鼠50只分为对照组、烟熏组、烟熏+NAC组、烟熏+戒烟组、烟熏+NAC+戒烟组,每组各10只。5组大鼠均在实验前及8周时进行大鼠内眦静脉采血,离心后ELISA法检测大鼠血浆HCY水平。HE染色观察大鼠肺组织形态。结果烟熏组大鼠HCY水平较对照组升高(P<0.05);烟熏+戒烟组戒烟后HCY水平较烟熏组显著下降(P<0.05);烟熏+NAC组较烟熏组血浆HCY水平降低(P<0.05);烟熏+NAC+戒烟组HCY水平较烟熏组明显降低(P<0.05),且与对照组无显著差异(P>0.05)。组织病理学结果显示,烟熏组大鼠气管周围发现大片坏死组织,其间有大量炎性细胞浸润,组织出现明显的钙化改变。烟熏+NAC组、烟熏+戒烟组、烟熏+NAC+戒烟组的肺损伤程度均有不同程度改善。结论烟熏可导致大鼠肺部损伤,同时使血浆HCY水平升高;戒烟联合NAC可以减轻大鼠肺部损伤,显著降低血浆HCY水平。     

FT-IR spectroscopy utilization to sportsmen fatigability evaluation and control

PURPOSE: A longitudinal biological study of 20 elite rowers was performed using capillary blood (serum) FT-IR spectra to evaluate their training load adaptations and fatigue. METHODS: Difference spectra (rest serum spectra subtracted to exercise serum spectra) were used to evaluate subjects' metabolic response to exercise. Spectra classifications were used for serum contents differentiation on the basis of biomolecular absorption. RESULTS: For two subjects, several metabolic differentiations were observed. These started with sugars metabolism on the fifth training week, followed successively by lipid metabolism and protein metabolism, when overtraining was clinically diagnosed. Several weeks further into the training program, the same onset of metabolic differentiations was observed for eight other subjects. When differentiations reached lipid metabolism, they were asked to reduce their training loads. Unlike the overtrained subjects, a rapid recovery was observed (3 vs 22 wk) and metabolism alterations disappeared. CONCLUSION: The fatigability limit in sportsmen seemed to be situated at a certain level of metabolic stress, beyond which a rapid overtraining process recover was no longer possible.     

Simple tests for surveying muscle strength and muscle stiffness in sportsmen

Thirty-nine elite runners were examined by Cybex II for thigh muscle strength. In addition, the maximal abduction, flexion and extension in the hip, dorsal flexion in the ankle, standing five steps, long and vertical jump, and side and front split were measured. For the latter five tests, an ordinary measuring tape was used. To establish reference values, 111 district level runners and 24 keep-fit joggers were examined by the three jump tests and the side and front split. Twenty randomly selected runners were examined twice to determine the reproducibility. The mean CV% was 1.9 +/- 1.4. There was a statistically significant correlation between the results in the vertical jump, the standing five steps, and long jump and muscle strength (P less than 0.001), in particular as to the values in the higher angle velocity. Furthermore, there was a correlation (P less than 0.001) between the results in side and front split and the hip. There was a covariation between the three ranges of motion, suggesting that stiffness in the hip was a general condition involving all directions of movements. The sensitivity for the jump tests and the side/front splits was 75%-91%. The specificity for the same test varied between 70% and 100%.     

Pubic pain syndrome in sportsmen: comparison of radiographic and scintigraphic findings

We studied 32 cases of pubic pain in sportsmen and compared the radiographic and scintigraphic findings. Six case histories are presented in detail. The pubis/sacrum uptake ratio obtained by the use of scan techniques appears to be a useful parameter for following the evolution of the pain.     

Pubic pain syndrome in sportsmen: Comparison of radiographic and scintigraphic findings

We studied 32 cases of pubic pain in sportsmen and compared the radiographic and scintigraphic findings. Six case histories are presented in detail. The pubis/sacrum uptake ratio obtained by the use of scan techniques appears to be a useful parameter for following the evolution of the pain.     

Mineral waters in treatment of metabolic changes from fatigue in sportsmen

The authors list the principal metabolic consequences of fatigue in athletes with special reference to alterations of fluid-electrolyte balance, acid-base balance, macroelements and trace elements. They then go on to stress the role which mineral waters, especially the bicarbonate ones, can play in the compensation of these disorders thus preventing or curing the fatigue syndrome in athletes.