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Although body composition is known to influence success in organized sport, the longitudinal body composition changes produced by sport specialization are not well characterized for women's soccer. To address this need, this study reports the body composition changes of NCAA Division I women's soccer players over their entire collegiate playing career. Serial dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans were performed throughout players' involvement in collegiate women's soccer. Analyses of all players with multiple DXA scans (n 5 80) and players with $3 years of DXA data (n 5 17) were performed using linear mixed-effects models that included effects of time, playing position, game minutes, and interactions. In all athletes (n 5 80; 2.1 6 1.2 years of participation), significant increases in bone mass (1.4%), total lean mass (1.7%), and fat-free mass index (0.3 kg·m-2) occurred. These changes coincided with increased arm and leg bone mass, increased lean mass in all regions, and decreased body fat percentage and leg fat mass. In athletes with $3 years of collegiate data (n 5 17; 3.5 6 0.4 years of participation), larger increases in bone mass (3.0%), bone mineral density (2.2%), total lean mass (2.5%), fat-free mass index (0.4 kg·m-2), and segmental bone and lean mass were observed. Larger decreases in body fat percentage and leg fat mass were also noted. Although playing position was related to body composition characteristics, changes in outcomes were generally unrelated to position or game minutes. In summary, beneficial changes in multiple aspects of body composition were observed over years of participation in a collegiate women's soccer program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to compare the muscle-to-bone ratio (MBR) in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I football players (collegiate football players [CFP]) to healthy, age-matched controls. In addition, we examined MBR in CFP by position. A total of 553 CFP and 261 controls had their total and regional lean mass (LM), fat mass (FM), and bone mineral content (BMC) determined by dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). College football players were categorized by positions defined as offensive linemen (OL), defensive linemen (DL), tight end, linebacker (LB), running back (RB), punter or kicker, quarterback (QB), defensive back (DB), and wide receiver (WR). There were significant differences between CFP and controls for total LM (80.1 ± 10.0 vs. 56.9 ± 7.8 kg), FM (22.2 ± 12.5 vs. 15.2 ± 7.1 kg), and BMC (4.3 ± 0.5 vs. 3.1 ± 0.5 kg). Although there were significant differences in body composition between CFP and controls, there was no significant differences in total MBR between CFP and controls (18.6 ± 1.4 vs. 18.8 ± 1.7). Regionally, CFP had significantly lower trunk MBR than controls (26.7 ± 2.7 vs. 28.7 ± 4.2), but no difference was seen in leg or arm MBR. Positional differences in CFP were noted as total MBR being significantly higher in DL (19.0 ± 1.4) than in DB (18.1 ± 1.3), WR (18.1 ± 1.3), and LB (18.2 ± 1.3). OL had a significantly higher total MBR (19.2 ± 1.3) than DB(18.1 ± 1.3), LB (18.2 ± 1.3), QB (18.1 ± 1.0), and WR (18.1 ± 1.3). In addition, RB had significantly higher total MBR (18.8 ± 1.3) than DB (18.1 ± 1.3) and WR (18.1 ± 1.3). This study may provide athletes and training staff with normative values when evaluating total and regional MBR with DXA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Frequent soccer heading negatively affects brain health. Omega-3 fatty acids are neuroprotective against head impacts. A biomarker of omega-3 tissue status, red blood cell (RBC) omega-3 content is reduced during soccer activity. However, whether these changes are associated with frequent heading impacts is unknown. Aim: Explore the association between soccer heading frequencies and RBC omega-3 status. Methods: A prospective cohort study in collegiate women soccer players (n = 16). Players' RBC omega-3 status, Omega-3 Index, and self-reported gameplay header frequencies collected during a competitive season. Results: Mean Omega-3 Index (i.e., pre/postseason) was low (3.95 ± 0.44%). Postseason Omega-3 Index negatively correlated (r = −0.545, p = 0.029) with heading frequencies. Change in Omega-3 Index negatively correlated (r = −0.663, p = 0.005) with average headers per game. Conclusion: RBC omega-3 status is negatively influenced by frequent soccer heading throughout a competitive season which may have concerning implications for player brain health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We compared cardiorespiratory responses to exercise on an underwater treadmill (UTM) and land treadmill (LTM) and derived an equation to estimate oxygen consumption (VO[subscript 2]) during UTM exercise. Fifty-five men and women completed one LTM and five UTM exercise sessions on separate days. The UTM sessions consisted of chest-deep immersion, with 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100% water-jet resistance. All session treadmill velocities increased every 3 min from 53.6 to 187.8 m[middle dot]min[superscript -1]. Cardiorespiratory responses were similar between LTM and UTM when jet resistance for UTM was [greater than or equal to] 50%. Using multiple regression analysis, weight-relative VO[subscript 2] could be estimated as: VO[subscript 2] (mLO[subscript 2][middle dot]kg[superscript -1][middle dot]min[superscript -1]) = 0.19248 [middle dot] height (cm) + 0.17422 [middle dot] jet resistance (% max) + 0.14092 [middle dot] velocity (m[middle dot]min[superscript -1]) - 0.12794 [middle dot] weight (kg) - 27.82849, R[superscript 2] = 0.82. Our data indicate that similar LTM and UTM cardiorespiratory responses are achievable, and we provide a reasonable estimate of UTM VO[subscript 2]. (Contains 4 figures and 3 tables.)

This is a novel descriptive study to characterize oft-season, preseason, and postseason bone and body composition measures in women collegiate athletes. From 2006 through 2008, 67 women collegiate athletes from 5 sports, softball (n = 17), basketball (n = 10), volleyball (n = 7), swimming (n = 16), and track jumpers and sprinters (n = 17) were scanned using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) at 3 seasonal periods: (a) oft-season = before preseason training, (b) preseason = after preseason training, and (c) postseason = after competitive season. Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry scans were analyzed for total body mass, lean mass (LM), fat mass (FM), percent body fat (%BF), bone mineral content, bone mineral density (BMD), arm BMD, leg BMD, pelvis BMD, and spine BMD. Data were analyzed between sports using analysis of variance (ANOVA) with Tukey post hoc follow-ups, and within each sport using repeated-measures ANOVA and LSD; [alpha] < 0.05. Significant oft-season to preseason or postseason changes in %BF, LM, and BMD within each sport were as follows, respectively: softball, - 7, +4, +1%; basketball, -11, +4, +1%; volleyball, unchanged, unchanged, +2%; swimming, unchanged, +2.5%, unchanged; track jumpers and sprinters, -7, +3.5, +1%. Comparisons among athletes in each sport showed bone measurements of swimmers averaged 4-19% lower than that of athletes in any other sport, whereas for track jumpers and sprinters, %BF and FM averaged 36 and 43% lower compared with other sports at all seasonal periods. Values for athletes playing basketball and volleyball were most similar, whereas softball athletes' values fell between all other athletes. These data serve as sport-specific reference values for comparisons at in-season and oft-season training periods among women collegiate athletes in various sports. KEY WORDS DXA, division I, season, female, morphology

The authors were aware of no published studies in which the performance characteristics of first-year National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I collegiate football players were reported. From 2003 to 2006, 73 freshman and 12 transfer football recruits were tested before twice-a-day practices for bench press (BP), squat (SQ), power clean (PC), vertical jump (VJ), calculated jump power (CP), treadmill endurance capacity ([Vo.sub.2]peak), and maximal treadmill time (MTT). Individuals were grouped by player position for descriptive statistical analysis. As a group, offensive linemen (OL), defensive linemen (DL), linebackers (LB), tight ends (TE), and running backs (RB) averaged 152.8 kg for BP, 210.5 kg for SQ, 127.3 kg for PC, and 224.2 W for CP. These values were 22% to 30% higher than those for quarterbacks (QB), wide receivers (WR), defensive backs (DB), and kickers (K), who together averaged 120.2 kg for BP, 163.4 kg for SQ, 104.6 kg for PC, and 172.4 W for CP. Quarterbacks, WR, DB, and K as a group showed the highest M'IT (13:13 m*[s.sup.-1]) and [Vo.sub.2]peak values (47.24 mL*[kg.sup.-1]*[min.sup.-1]), 15% to 20% higher than those for OL, DL, LB, RB, and TE, who averaged 11:27 m*[s.sup.-1] for MTT and 39.51 mL*[kg.sup.-1]*[min.sup.-1] for [Vo.sub.2]peak. Running backs, TE, LB, DB, and WIR averaged 82.56 cm for VJ, which was 14% higher than that for DL, QB, K, and OL, who averaged 72.72 cm. On the basis of average resting blood pressure, 23.5% (20 players) were categorized as hypertensive (i.e., [greater than or equal to] 140/90 mm Hg), 54% (46 players) as prehypertensive (i.e., 120-139/80-89 mm Hg), and 22.5% (19 players) as normal (i.e., KEY WORDS speed, strength, endurance, power, freshman, hypertension

We compared cardiorespiratory responses to exercise on an underwater treadmill (UTM) and land treadmill (LTM) and derived an equation to estimate oxygen consumption (VO2) during UTM exercise. Fifty-five men and women completed one LTM and five UTM exercise sessions on separate days. The UTM sessions consisted of chest-deep immersion, with 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100% water-jet resistance. All session treadmill velocities increased every 3 min from 53.6 to 187.8 m∙min-1. Cardiorespiratory responses were similar between LTM and UTM when jet resistance for UTM was ≥ 50%. Using multiple regression analysis, weight-relative VO2 could be estimated as: VO2(mLO2∙kg1∙min-1) = 0.19248 ∙ height (cm) + 0.17422 ∙ jet resistance (% max) + 0.14092 velocity (m∙min-1) - 0.12794 ∙ weight (kg) - 27.82849, R2= .82. Our data indicate that similar LTM and UTM cardiorespiratory responses are achievable, and we provide a reasonable estimate of UTM VO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our aim was to determine the effects of probiotic supplementation (Bifidobacterium longum 35624; 1 billion CFU·d−1) on exercise performance, immune modulation, and cognitive outlook in collegiate female athletes during six weeks of offseason training. Seventeen National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division 1 collegiate female swimmers participated in this two-group matched, double-blind, placebo controlled design. Via stratified randomization, participants were assigned to probiotic (B. longum 35624; n = 8) or placebo (n = 9) groups. Pre, mid, and post-training, all participants completed exercise performance testing (aerobic/anaerobic swim time trials and force plate vertical jump) as well as provided serum (cytokine and gastrointestinal inflammatory markers) and salivary immunoglobulin A samples. Recovery-stress questionnaire for athletes (RESTQ-Sport) was administered at baseline and conclusion of each week. Data were analyzed by analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) by time point with the respective baseline values of each dependent variable being the covariate. No significant differences in exercise performance and biochemical markers were observed between groups following offseason training. Recovery-Stress Questionnaire for Athletes (RESTQ-sport) values in B. longum 35624 group had significantly higher (i.e., more desired; p < 0.05) values in sport recovery (weeks five and six) than placebo. Probiotic supplementation in collegiate female swimmers did not affect exercise performance or immune function throughout offseason training, but did indicate alterations in cognitive outlook. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]