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Moderate-intensity exercise has positive health benefits, whereas extreme exercise enhances oxidant production, which contributes to elevated cardiac output in the blood and consequently causes transient damage to cardiac muscles. Functional sports drinks are a palatable and convenient way to hydrate and recover carbohydrates, electrolytes, protein and other nutrients that have been lost throughout physical activity. This paper provides a review of the effect on cardiac biomarkers following endurance exercise as well as the effectiveness of oral rehydration drinks in reducing cardiac muscle injury. Based on the review conducted, we conclude that cardiac biomarkers levels are elevated following high-intensity exercise. Besides that, oral rehydration drinks appear to have an enhancing effect on endurance performance with the lowering of cardiac biomarkers concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transaminases alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) are markers of hepatocellular injury but are highly concentrated in muscle cells. Consequently, muscular dystrophies such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy, lead to hypertransaminasemia. Elevation in ALT and AST is most striking during the early stages of disease, before onset of or when only subtle signs of muscle disease are present. Thus, the incidental finding of elevated ALT/AST may be the presenting sign of muscle disease in many children and provides an opportunity for early diagnosis. Many physicians, however, pursue extensive workup for liver disease in children who present with the incidental finding of elevated ALT/AST. This results in delayed diagnosis and initiation of treatment and increased expense and may lead to unnecessary invasive procedures. We report 12 patients with muscle disease who presented with a variety of symptoms and were found to have an incidental finding of elevated ALT/AST. We propose a rapid screening process for evaluating children with the incidental finding of elevated ALT/AST to shorten the time to diagnosis of muscle disease.