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Background: Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) has analgesic/anti-inflammatory properties that may be a suitable alternative to over-the-counter (OTC) non-steroidal analgesics/anti-inflammatories. While OTC pain medications can impair strength training adaptations, the mechanism of action of PEA is distinct from these and it may not negatively affect skeletal muscle adaptations to strength training. Methods: The primary aim of this study was to investigate the effects of daily PEA supplementation (350 mg Levagen + equivalent to 300 mg PEA) combined with 8-weeks of resistance training on lean body mass with secondary aims addressing strength, power, sleep, and wellbeing compared to placebo (PLA) in young, healthy, active adults. In a randomized, controlled, double-blinded trial, 52 untrained, recreationally active participants aged 18–35 y were allocated to either the PEA or PLA groups. Participants consumed either 2 × 175 mg Levagen + PEA or identically matched maltodextrin capsules during an 8-week period of whole-body resistance training. This trial assessed the pre- to post- changes in total and regional lean body mass, muscular strength (1-RM bench, isometric mid-thigh pull), muscular power [countermovement jump (CMJ), bench throw], pain associated with exercise training, sleep, and wellbeing compared with the PEA or PLA condition. Results: 48 Participants were included in the final intention to treat (ITT) analysis and we also conducted per protocol (PP) analysis (n = 42). There were no significant between-group differences for total or regional lean muscle mass post-intervention. There was a significantly higher jump height (CMJ) at week 10 in the PEA group compared to the PLA (Adjusted mean difference [95% CI] p-value; ITT: − 2.94 cm [− 5.15, − 0.74] p = 0.010; PP: − 2.93 cm [− 5.31, − 0.55] p = 0.017). The PLA group had higher 1-RM bench press post-intervention compared with the PEA group (ITT: 2.24 kg [0.12, 4.37] p = 0.039; PP: 2.73 kg [0.40, 5.06] p = 0.023). No significant treatment effects were noted for any of the other outcomes. Conclusion: PEA supplementation, when combined with 8 weeks of strength training, did not impair lean mass gains and it resulted in significantly higher dynamic lower-body power when compared with the PLA condition. Trial Registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR: ACTRN12621001726842p). Key Findings: Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) is a compound that works as an anti-inflammatory and analgesic for the management of pain that works on different biochemical pathways compared to other over-the-counter analgesics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatories. Our findings indicate that a daily dose of 300 mg of PEA administered during 8-weeks of strength training did not interfere with skeletal muscle hypertrophy gains and may improve lower body power (e.g., jump height) compared to the placebo group. PEA may fill the gap for athletes and the active population as an alternative method of pain management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Throughout the sport-science and sports-medicine literature, the term "elite" subjects might be one of the most overused and ill-defined terms. Currently, there is no common perspective or terminology to characterize the caliber and training status of an individual or cohort. This paper presents a 6-tiered Participant Classification Framework whereby all individuals across a spectrum of exercise backgrounds and athletic abilities can be classified. The Participant Classification Framework uses training volume and performance metrics to classify a participant to one of the following: Tier 0: Sedentary; Tier 1: Recreationally Active; Tier 2: Trained/Developmental; Tier 3: Highly Trained/National Level; Tier 4: Elite/International Level; or Tier 5: World Class. We suggest the Participant Classification Framework can be used to classify participants both prospectively (as part of study participant recruitment) and retrospectively (during systematic reviews and/or meta-analyses). Discussion around how the Participant Classification Framework can be tailored toward different sports, athletes, and/or events has occurred, and sport-specific examples provided. Additional nuances such as depth of sport participation, nationality differences, and gender parity within a sport are all discussed. Finally, chronological age with reference to the junior and masters athlete, as well as the Paralympic athlete, and their inclusion within the Participant Classification Framework has also been considered. It is our intention that this framework be widely implemented to systematically classify participants in research featuring exercise, sport, performance, health, and/or fitness outcomes going forward, providing the much-needed uniformity to classification practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research suggests a high prevalence of low energy availability (LEA) and stress fractures (SF) among competitive female endurance athletes. However, much less is known about these issues among recreational female runners. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and number of self-reported SF and risk of LEA among noncompetitive, recreationally active female runners, aged 18 - 25 years. Additionally, it compared characteristics between females with a history of multiple SF vs. one or no SF, and between those 'at risk' vs. 'not at risk' of LEA. Female recreational runners (n=485) completed an online survey that included the Low Energy Availability in Females Questionnaire (LEAF-Q) and the Disordered Eating Screening Assessment (DESA-6). Thirty-three percent of participants reported ≥ 2 SF. Eighty-two percent of the ≥ 2 SF group were classified as 'at risk' of LEA (LEAF-Q score ≥ 8). In addition, ≥ 2 SF was associated with higher total LEAF-Q score, self-reported intentional food restriction for weight loss, and self-reported current eating disorder while weekly exercise duration was inversely associated with ≥ 2 SF. In conclusion, one-third of participants had multiple SF with a majority (82%) of this group classified as 'at risk' of LEA. Screening tools such as the LEAF-Q and DESA-6 are useful tools to identify characteristics associated with multiple SF in this demographic, especially questions regarding food restriction and the presence of a current or previous eating disorder.

Athletic training improves bone mineral density (BMD) through repeated mechanical loading. The location, intensity, and direction of applied mechanical pressure play an important role in determining BMD, making some sports more advantageous at improving BMD at specific regions. Thirty-seven (10 power lifters [PL], 8 Olympic lifters [OL], 8 soccer players [SP], and 11 recreationally active [RA]) women participated in a cross-sectional study. We measured lumbar spine (L1-L4), femoral neck, total-body BMD, and overall body composition (total fat mass, lean mass, percent body fat) with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. All athletic groups had greater total BMD than RA (p 5 0.01 [PL]; p, 0.001 [OL]; p 5 0.01 [SP]). Olympic lifters had the highest total BMD than all other athletic groups. Olympic lifters had the significantly greater total BMD than PL (p 5 0.018), but there was no difference in total BMD between PL and SP. As compared with RA, OL showed greater BMD at both the total lumbar spine (p 5 0.002) and the femoral neck (p 5 0.007), whereas PL showed greater BMD only for the total lumbar spine (p 5 0.019) and SP showed greater BMD only for the femoral neck (p 5 0.002). Olympic-style lifting includes both high-impact and odd-impact loading modalities that are associated with the highest BMD at both the lumbar spine and femoral neck. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency has been noted in athletic populations, although less is known about recreationally active individuals. Biofortification of natural food sources (e.g. UV radiated mushrooms) may support vitamin D status and is therefore of current scientific and commercial interest. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of a mushroom-derived food ingredient on vitamin D status in recreationally active, healthy volunteers. Methods Twenty-eight participants were randomly assigned to either: 25 μg (1000 IU) encapsulated natural mushroom-derived vitamin D2; matched-dose encapsulated vitamin D3 or placebo (PL) for 12 weeks. Venous blood samples were collected at baseline, week 6 and 12 for analysis of serum 25(OH)D2 and 25(OH)D3 using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. Habitual dietary intake and activity were monitored across the intervention. Results Vitamin D status (25(OH)DTOTAL) was significantly increased with vitamin D3 supplementation from 46.1 ± 5.3 nmol·L− 1 to 88.0 ± 8.6 nmol·L− 1 (p 0.05), which was not statistically different to D3. Vitamin D status was maintained with PL, following an initial − 15% reduction by week 6 (p ≤ 0.046 compared to both supplement groups). Conclusions The use of a UV radiated mushroom food ingredient was effective in maintaining 25(OH)DTOTAL in healthy, recreationally active volunteers. This may offer an adjunct strategy in supporting vitamin D intake. However, consistent with the literature, the use of vitamin D3 supplementation likely offers benefits when acute elevation in vitamin D status is warranted.

Introduction: Regional heterogeneity of the human heart plays an important role in left ventricular (LV) and right ventricular (RV) function and may contribute to enhanced myocardial efficiency in the athlete's heart. Purpose: This study comprehensively characterized regional and transmural myocardial tissue deformation (strain) in recreationally active (RA) and endurance-trained (ET) men to determine if regional nonuniformity evolves alongside morphological adaptations associated with endurance training. Methods: Echocardiography was used to measure LV and RV global, regional (apical, mid, basal) and transmural (endocardial, epicardial) longitudinal strain in 30 endurance-trained (ET) (age, 31 ± 2 yr; body mass index, 23.1 ± 0.5 kg·m−2; V˙O2peak, 60.2 ± 6.5 mL·kg−1·min−1) and 30 RA (age: 29 ± 2 yr; body mass index, 23.4 ± 0.4 kg·m−2; V˙O2peak: 42.6 ± 4.6 mL·kg−1·min−1). Nonuniformity was characterized using apex-to-base and transmural (endocardial-to-epicardial) strain gradients. Results: Global longitudinal strain was similar in ET and RA in the left (−17.4% ± 0.4% vs −17.8% ± 0.5%, P = 0.662) and right ventricle (−25.8% ± 0.8% vs 26.4% ± 1.0%, P = 0.717). The apex-to-base strain gradient was greater in ET than RA in the left (−6.5% ± 0.7% vs −2.7% ± 0.8%, P = 0.001) and right ventricle (−9.6% ± 1.8% vs −3.0% ± 1.6%, P = 0.010). The LV transmural strain gradient was greater than RV in both groups, but similar in ET and RA (−4.7% ± 0.2% vs −4.7% ± 0.2%, P = 0.850), whereas RV transmural strain gradient was greater in ET than RA (−3.4% ± 0.3% vs −1.6% ± 0.4%, P = 0.003). RV apex-to-base and transmural strain gradients correlated with RV end-diastolic area (R = 0.536 & 0.555, respectively, P < 0.01) and V˙O2peak (R = 0.415 & 0.677, respectively, P < 0.01). Conclusions: Transmural nonuniformity is more pronounced in the left ventricle than the RV free wall; however, RV functional nonuniformity develops markedly after endurance training. Differences in myocardial architecture and exercise-induced wall stress in the left and right ventricles are possible explanations for the marked functional nonuniformity throughout the myocardium and in response to endurance exercise training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whole body vibration training improves muscularpower in a recreationally active population

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Background: Prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency has been noted in athletic populations, although less is known about recreationally active individuals. Biofortification of natural food sources (e.g. UV radiated mushrooms) may support vitamin D status and is therefore of current scientific and commercial interest. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of a mushroom-derived food ingredient on vitamin D status in recreationally active, healthy volunteers. Methods: Twenty-eight participants were randomly assigned to either: 25 μg (1000 IU) encapsulated natural mushroom-derived vitamin D2; matched-dose encapsulated vitamin D3 or placebo (PL) for 12 weeks. Venous blood samples were collected at baseline, week 6 and 12 for analysis of serum 25(OH)D2 and 25(OH)D3 using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. Habitual dietary intake and activity were monitored across the intervention. Results: Vitamin D status (25(OH)DTOTAL) was significantly increased with vitamin D3 supplementation from 46.1 ± 5.3 nmol·L− 1 to 88.0 ± 8.6 nmol·L− 1 (p < 0.0001) across the intervention, coupled with an expected rise in 25(OH)D3 concentrations from 38.8 ± 5.2 nmol·L− 1 to 82.0 ± 7.9 nmol·L− 1 (p < 0.0001). In contrast, D2 supplementation increased 25(OH)D2 by + 347% (7.0 ± 1.1 nmol·L− 1 to 31.4 ± 2.1 nmol·L− 1, p < 0.0001), but resulted in a − 42% reduction in 25(OH)D3 by week 6 (p = 0.001). A net + 14% increase in 25(OH)DTOTAL was established with D2 supplementation by week 12 (p > 0.05), which was not statistically different to D3. Vitamin D status was maintained with PL, following an initial − 15% reduction by week 6 (p ≤ 0.046 compared to both supplement groups). Conclusions: The use of a UV radiated mushroom food ingredient was effective in maintaining 25(OH)DTOTAL in healthy, recreationally active volunteers. This may offer an adjunct strategy in supporting vitamin D intake. However, consistent with the literature, the use of vitamin D3 supplementation likely offers benefits when acute elevation in vitamin D status is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]