Female Athlete Triad, (low energy availability, functional hypothalamic amen- orrhea, and osteoporosis)

Based on past published studies correlating body fat, hormonal levels and bone density. I have always recommend that female distance runners drink a glass of milk (8oz) per day, incorporate dairy products into their diet, and maintain a body fat level above 10%. I believe it is especially important to keep track of middle school to college females body fat levels, as many have the opinion that skinner equals faster running times.

I have linked a recent paper entitled, "Update on the female athlete triad". This manuscript covers recent research which identifies components of the Triad (low energy availability, functional hypothalamic amen- orrhea, and osteoporosis) among female adolescent athletes, particularly those participating in leanness sports,such as endurance running.
http://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007%2Fs12178-013-9168-9.pdf

Consumption of analgesics before a marathon and the incidence of cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and renal problems

 The bottom link or take home messaged from this study is save your pain meds for after the marathon, not before.

 The link below is a study that looks at consumption of over the counter pain medications before a marathon and the incidence of complications. The authors concluded,"the use of analgesics before participating in endurance sports may cause many potentially serious, unwanted analgesic effects (AEs) that increase with increasing analgesic dose. Analgesic use before endurance sports appears to pose an unrecognised medical problem as yet. If verifiable in other endurance sports, it requires the attention of physicians and regulatory authorities."

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23604350

The Effects of Uphill vs. Level-Grade High-Intensity Interval Training on VO2max, VMax, VLT and TMax in Well-Trained Distance Runners.

 This recent study (see link below) has a control group which the other study concluding uphill interval improved 5km times did not. Because the study linked below has a control group, their conclusions is supported that,"both uphill and level-grade interval training can induce significant improvements in a run-to-exhaustion test in well-trained runners at the speed associated with VO2max, but that traditional level-grade training produces greater gains." I believe it would be safe to say that these types of training would lead to an improved 5km time.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22996027

Uphill interval training will benefit 5-km time-trial performance

 I'm a firm believer that both uphill and downhill training or repeats are beneficial to any running program whether you are a sprinter, middle distance runner, distance runner, or marathoner. Running on hills will give you confidence in your abilities, build strength and speed.

A recent publication (see link below) concluded, "runners can assume that any form of high-intensity uphill interval training will benefit 5-km time-trial performance." Based on the design of this study, I feel the authors have over stated their results. I believe to conclude that uphill interval training improves 5km times this study needed to include more test groups: 1)that did not do any intervals ( easy distance running),but continued to run, 2) one group that did not do uphill intervals, but did track intervals, 3) and one group that did no intervals, but threshold runs. For example if groups 1,2 and 3 did not show 5km time trial improvement over the same time period, then they could conclude uphill interval trianing is the best way to improve 5km time. If group 1 did not show improvement, but group 2&3 did, there published conclusion would be support and a comparison could be made between other training method. However, if group 1 showed improvement, there existing conclusions would not stand.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Effects+of+Different+Uphill+Interval-Training+Programs+on+Running+Economy+and+Performance.

Iron Status and Hepcidin Response in Female Runners

 This study supports that female runners should have their iron levels checked and should consider diets rich in  iron that is readily absorbed and utilized by the body like heme iron found in red meats.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3589469/pdf/pone.0058090.pdf

BEX Runner

Based on the resultAustin, Texas) – It’s the first ever wearable, hand-held core cooling device that works before, during and even after exercise. The new BEX Runner from Cool Palms, LLC is a thin, light-weight cooling gel-pack that fits comfortably and effortlessly in the palm of the hand. The patent-pending BEX Runner is filled with a proprietary gel designed to stay cool for up to a full hour in use. This cooling helps lead to a longer workout, tolerance for a heavier workload, a shorter recovery time and an overall better exercise experience. - See more at: http://runningnetwork.com/RNW/index.php/features/15-features/1034-bex-runner-innovative-new-product-keeps-bodies-cool-during-exercise#sthash.4u7tJkPh.dpuf

Austin, Texas) – It’s the first ever wearable, hand-held core cooling device that works before, during and even after exercise. The new BEX Runner from Cool Palms, LLC is a thin, light-weight cooling gel-pack that fits comfortably and effortlessly in the palm of the hand. The patent-pending BEX Runner is filled with a proprietary gel designed to stay cool for up to a full hour in use. This cooling helps lead to a longer workout, tolerance for a heavier workload, a shorter recovery time and an overall better exercise experience. - See more at: http://runningnetwork.com/RNW/index.php/features/15-features/1034-bex-runner-innovative-new-product-keeps-bodies-cool-during-exercise#sthash.4u7tJkPh.dpuf

BEX Runner: Innovative New Product Keeps Bodies Cool During Exercise - See more at: http://runningnetwork.com/RNW/index.php/features/15-features/1034-bex-runner-innovative-new-product-keeps-bodies-cool-during-exercise#sthash.4u7tJkPh.dpuf

 Save your money! Based on the research article below, the BEX Runner, handheld cooling device, does not show any benefit when running under hot humid conditions.

Austin, Texas) – It’s the first ever wearable, hand-held core cooling device that works before, during and even after exercise. The new BEX Runner from Cool Palms, LLC is a thin, light-weight cooling gel-pack that fits comfortably and effortlessly in the palm of the hand. The patent-pending BEX Runner is filled with a proprietary gel designed to stay cool for up to a full hour in use. This cooling helps lead to a longer workout, tolerance for a heavier workload, a shorter recovery time and an overall better exercise experience. - See more at: http://runningnetwork.com/RNW/index.php/features/15-features/1034-bex-runner-innovative-new-product-keeps-bodies-cool-during-exercise#sthash.4u7tJkPh.dpuf

 

Int J Sports Med. 2013 Feb 26. [Epub ahead of print]

Palm Cooling Does not Improve Running Performance.

Scheadler CM, Saunders NW, Hanson NJ, Devor ST.

Source

The Ohio State University, Health and Exercise Science, Columbus, United States.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to test the efficacy of the BEX Runner palm cooling device during a combination of exercise and environmental heat stress. Twelve subjects completed two randomly ordered time-to-exhaustion runs at 75% VO2max, 30 °C, and 50% relative humidity with and without palm cooling. Time to exhaustion runs started once the warm-up had elicited a core temperature of 37.5 °C. Heart rate, Rating of Perceived Exertion, Feeling Scale, and core temperature were recorded at 2-min intervals during each run. Time to exhaustion was longer in control than treatment (46.7±31.1 vs. 41.3±26.3 min, respectively, p<0 .05="" 0.048="" 54.5="" a="" analysis="" and="" attenuate="" between="" bex="" conditions="" control="" cooling="" core="" device="" did="" difference="" different="" during="" eliminate="" even="" exercise="" exhaustion="" for="" hot="" however="" in="" included="" increase="" min-1="" min="" no="" not="" of="" or="" p="" palm="" rate-of-rise="" reduced.="" respectively="" rise="" run="" runner="" temperature.="" temperature="" the="" there="" time="" to="" total="" treatment="" trials="" use="" vs.="" warm-up="" was="" when="" with="">

Effects of red grapes on running

  Based on this recent article below it could be concluded that there is not a correlation between red grape consumption (would include red wine) and improvements in running performance. This does not mean don't eat red grapes. There are still many studies that support health benefits of red grapes.

 

IJSNEM Volume 23, Issue 1, February

Original Research


Grape Consumption's Effects on Fitness, Muscle Injury, Mood, and Perceived Health

2013, 23, 57 – 64 Compounds found in the skins of grapes, including catechins, quercetin, and resveratrol, have been added to the diet of rodents and improved run time to exhaustion, fitness, and skeletal-muscle mitochondrial function. It is unknown if such effects occur in humans. The purpose of this experiment was to investigate whether 6 wk of daily grape consumption influenced maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), work capacity, mood, perceived health status, inflammation, pain, and arm-function responses to a mild eccentric-exercise-induced arm-muscle injury. Forty recreationally active young adults were randomly assigned to consume a grape or placebo drink for 45 consecutive days. Before and after 42 d of supplementation, assessments were made of treadmill-running VO2max, work capacity (treadmill performance time), mood (Profile of Mood States), and perceived health status (SF-36 Health Survey). The day after posttreatment treadmill tests were completed, 18 high-intensity eccentric actions of the nondominant elbow flexors were performed. Arm-muscle inflammation, pain, and function (isometric strength and range of motion) were measured before and on 2 consecutive days after the eccentric exercise. Mixed-model ANOVA showed no significant effect of grape consumption on any of the outcomes. Six weeks of supplemental grape consumption by recreationally active young adults has no effect on VO2max, work capacity, mood, perceived health status, inflammation, pain, or physical-function responses to a mild injury induced by eccentric exercise. Keywords: DOMS, eccentric, polyphenols, pain, soreness, SF-36, work capacity

Authors: Patrick J. O'Connor, Amanda L. Caravalho, Eric C. Freese, Kirk J. Cureton