mens-fitness-and-health.com

Tips On Improving Your Cholesterol Profile

2011-09-21T13:53:00.001-04:00

The beneficial effects on the heart and circulatory system of a having a low blood level (below 130) of LDL cholesterol and a high blood level (above 55) of HDL cholesterol are well established. It is also good to have a ratio of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol of no more than 4.0. If your levels don’t meet these criteria, you might benefit from the recommendations listed in an online Men’s Health Magazine article by Bill Phillips dated September 13, 2011. It presents the following ways, purportedly based on scientific studies, of improving your cholesterol profile without drugs:

Raise Your HDL Level

Eat at least 2 oz (57 gm) of nuts per day.
Do endurance exercise at least 20 min/day
Do 3 sets of 6-8 reps of the half squat, leg extension, and leg press, with 2 min max rest between sets, 2x/wk
Take a 1000 mg calcium supplement daily with 400 IU of Vitamin D-3
Eat fresh, not processed, white fish (e.g. cod, sole, flounder)
Take a daily 10-20 mg polycosanol supplement
Drink cranberry juice
Eat 2.5 oz of dark chocolate daily

Lower Your LDL Level

Eat a grapefruit daily
Eat several small meals a day
Eat food fortified with oat bran
Switch from a margarine containing trans fats to a spread that doesn’t
Drink Concord grape juice
Take phytosterol or phytostanol supplements in pills or margarine form
Add whole grains, nuts, and beans to your diet

Bottom Line

These seem like good recommendations. Just observe the following precautions:

Don’t overdo the calories by adding these items to your diet. Remove other items when you add these.
Endurance exercise is important for everyone. Weight training alone is not optimal for health.
Do not exceed 1000 mg of calcium/day from all sources (1200 mg/day if you're over 70) because of a possible increased risk of prostate cancer.
Don’t eat only white fish, because darker, fattier fish like salmon and mackerel are high in beneficial omega-3 fish oil.
Don’t overdo the juice because even natural juices contain a lot of sugar, especially fructose, which can increase fatty deposits in the liver and around the midsection.
Look for brands of dark chocolate without added milk fat.
Several small meals means SMALL.
The margarine brands that contain phytosterols and phytostanols contain some trans fats that are not listed because they're less than 0.5 mg per serving. So you may prefer getting these supplements in tablet form.

Important Information About Vitamins

2011-09-12T13:59:00.001-04:00

An article in the September 2011 issue of the Nutrition Action Health Letter, published by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, examined research data on the value of taking multivitamins. Key points of the articles are:

Three major studies with a total of 426,000 study subjects over the age of 40 showed no difference between those who took and those who didn’t take multi-vitamins as to lifespan or the incidence of cardiovascular disease, cancer, or stroke.

Other studies showed no effect of multi-vitamin use on the incidence of colds, other infections, length of illness, or absence from school, work or other planned activities.

Cognitive performance was not improved in various study groups that took multi-vitamins for 6-12 months

However, the U.S. Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee found that the following nutrients that are deficient among a large number of Americans:

Vitamin D
Folic acid
Vitamin B-12
Iron (among women due to menstruation)
Calcium

Most brands of multivitamins do not provide large enough doses to cause harm. However, there is concern that some people may be ingesting enough of the following to increase their risk of health problems:

Folic acid: Too little folic acid can increase the risk of colorectal cancer, and pregnant women who are deficient in folic acid are at risk for having babies with neural tube defects. That is why the U.S. government now mandates that folic acid be added to grain products. However, there is some evidence that too much folic acid taken over several years can increase the risk of having colorectal pre-cancerous growths (adenomous polyps) as well as prostate cancer. Thus, it is prudent not to ingest more than 1,000 micrograms a day of folic acid. Some breakfast cereals contain 400 micrograms per serving, and many people eat more than the standard serving size. Eating such cereals every day as well as taking a multivitamin and eating fortified bread, pasta, or rice can easily lead to exceeding 1,000 micrograms. This can be prevented by avoiding multivitamins with more than 400 micrograms of folic acid and limiting consumption of cereals that are fortified with 400 micrograms of folic acid per serving (e.g. Kashi Heart to Heart, Total, Multigrain Cheerios, Kellog’s Mueslix, Product 19, Smart Start, and Special K Original).
Selenium: Although there is marginal evidence that selenium may lower the risk of certain types of cancer, a study showed that people who took 200 micrograms of selenium daily for 8 years were almost 3 times as likely to be diagnosed with diabetes than those who didn’t take the supplement. So it is best to avoid multivitamins that contain more than 100 micrograms of selenium.
Vitamin A: While a Vitamin A deficiency can cause various health problems, very few Americans are deficient in the vitamin. However, a study showed that excess Vitamin A (more than 1667 IU/day) doubled the risk of hip fracture among women. The safest alternative is to take a multivitamin that contains beta-carotene rather than Vitamin A. Beta carotene is converted to Vitamin A as needed by the body and doesn’t cause any harm itself.

Bottom Line

Unless you feel you can get all your needed nutrients from your food, take a multivitamin that has 100% of the recommended daily value of each vitamin, rather than taking megadoses.
It is advisable not to exceed 1000 micrograms per day of folic acid by avoiding multivitamins with over 400 micrograms per serving and limiting intake of breakfast cereals containing more than 200 micrograms per serving.
Limit selenium in supplements to 100 micrograms per day.
Limit Vitamin A in supplements to 100% of daily value (5000 IU). Or, even better, take a supplement that contains beta-carotene rather than Vitamin A.

Are dairy products healthy?

2011-08-24T14:03:00.005-04:00

Many books and articles contain health recommendations based on little or no scientific evidence. So when making personal decisions about how to maintain and improve one’s health, it is important to look for books and articles based on solid studies, especially large, well-controlled ones. A good example of science-based health information can be found in the July/August 2011 issue of the Nutrition Action Health Letter, published by the Center for Science in the Public Interest. It evaluates the pros and cons of consuming dairy products, Some of its key points:

Bones
We all know that milk is a major source of dietary calcium, which is needed to maintain bone density. Recently however, some health writers have contended that eating animal protein lowers bone density. Because protein contains amino acids, the alleged mechanism is increased acidity of the blood, prompting the body to respond by leaching calcium from the bones to neutralize the acid. Since milk is a protein source, it is implicated in bone loss. However, scientific study has refuted this contention. In actuality, bone mineral density is higher among people who eat more protein and lower among people who eat less protein. Radio isotope studies that tracked actual deposition and depletion of calcium have verified that consumption of dairy foods does not increase bone loss as we age.

Colon Cancer
A major analysis by the Harvard School of Public Health of 10 studies conducted in 5 countries, involving over 500,000 people concluded that people who drank at least one cup of milk per day had a 15% lower risk of colon cancer than those who drank less than 2 cups per week. Similarly, people treated for colon cancer who took 1200 mg of calcium per day and who had an above-average Vitamin D level had 15% less chance of recurrent colon cancer than those who didn’t take the calcium. Twenty-five percent of experimental animals fed a high-fat diet low in fiber, calcium, Vitamin D, and folic acid, developed colon tumors, but those supplemented with calcium and Vitamin D got none.

Prostate Cancer
There is some inconsistent evidence that high calcium consumption (in excess of 1500 mg/day) may increase the risk of prostate cancer. Milk increases the body’s level of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), a hormone that stimulates the growth of both muscle and bone, but may also stimulate prostate-cancer growth. Even though a study of men receiving a 1200 mg calcium supplement daily showed no prostate cancer increase, the article recommended that men limit their calcium intake from food and supplements combined to 1000 mg/day if under 70 years of age and 1200 mg/day if over 70.

Blood Pressure
Adding 2 servings per day of low-fat dairy foods to a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, lowered blood pressure even further. In addition, a study of 28,000 women over 10 years showed that those consuming at least 2 cups/day of low-fat dairy foods reduced their risk of high blood pressure by 10%.

Weight Loss
When restricted to the same number of calories per day, women consuming more dairy products showed no difference in weight loss than those who consumed less dairy. However, when allowed to eat all they wanted at the end of the study, the dairy group consumed fewer calories. The implication is that dairy may help control appetite. While the weight-loss results were equivocal, the women in the low-dairy group lost bone density in their hips, while the high-dairy group did not. This is an important finding, considering that dangerous loss in bone density is common among both women and men as they age.

Lactose Intolerance
Lactose is the sugar found in milk. The following is the lactose content of some dairy products:

8 oz cup of milk: 12 grams
6 oz cup of yogurt - 10 grams
1 oz hard cheese or cream cheese - 1 gram or less
½ cup cottage cheese - 4-5 grams
½ cup ice cream - 4-5 grams

Many people think they are lactose-intolerant, However, the article cites evidence that between one-third and three-quarters of people who think they are lactose-intolerant are actually not so. Many of them show none of the typical symptoms of gas or diarrhea when lactose is put in their non-dairy drinks without their knowledge. Many people’s digestive systems can adjust to lactose by building up intestinal bacteria over a period of time. So the authors recommend that people who think they are lactose intolerant try to adjust to lactose by:

Limiting lactose to 12 grams at a time (the amount in one 8 oz glass of milk).
Consuming lactose along with other foods to give it more time to be digested
Eating dairy foods regularly to maintain lactose-digesting bacteria
Other Health Issues Related to Dairy Products

Diabetes
A study of 200,000 people over 20 years showed that those consuming 3-5 servings per day of dairy products had a 14% lower risk of Type II diabetes than those consuming less than 1.5 servings per day. However, it is not known whether that is an effect of the dairy products or another factor common to people who consume more dairy products.

Breast and Ovarian Cancer
Eight studies of 350,000 women in several countries did not find any link between milk consumption and breast cancer. However, research on 500,000 women in the U.S. and Europe did show a weak and marginally significant increased risk of ovarian cancer for women who consumed more than 30 grams of lactose per day. However, two major cancer research organizations did not feel the evidence was conclusive.

Bottom Line
Dairy products made from skim or one-percent milk can be considered health-promoting foods. They contain large quantities of calcium necessary for maintaining bone-density as we age. Also, most are excellent sources of protein (except products made primarily from milk fat, such as cream cheese and butter). Milk appears to help control blood pressure and avoid colon cancer, and may also help control appetite. However, high milk consumption may increase the risk of prostate cancer among men and ovarian cancer among women. Therefore, men should limit calcium consumption from food and supplements combined to 1000 mg/day below age 70 and 1200 mg/day above age 70. Adequate Vitamin D intake is essential for healthy bone mineralization, even if calcium intake is adequate. Many people are deficient in Vitamin D because of low sun exposure. Current recommendations for daily Vitamin D supplementation are in the neighborhood of 1,000-2,000 IU.

Additional Note
The main type of saturated fat found in milk (myristic acid) is particularly potent in raising blood cholesterol, specifically the harmful low-density variety (LDL). Because of that, consumption of milk fat should be very limited. High proportions of milk fat are found in cream, butter, ice cream, cheese (especially cream cheese and soft cheeses like Brie), whole milk, and 2% milk. That is why non-fat and 1% fat milk products are preferable. Unfortunately, many dishes popular in the U.S., such as cheese burgers cheese ravioli, macaroni and cheese, and pizza, contain large amounts of cheese. The evidence indicates that the cardiovascular health of Americans would benefit from a reduction in cheese consumption.

How to Avoid Inflammation of Your Arteries

2011-07-20T14:18:00.003-04:00

Inflammation of the blood vessels and other bodily tissue has become increasingly recognized as being complicit in heart disease, arthritis, and decline of mental capacity. Fortunately, the choices we make concerning what and how much we eat and drink, and how much exercise we do, can dramatically influence the degree of inflammation we experience. The information presented herein concerning lifestyle factors that affect inflammation, comes from a review article by O’Keefe, Gheewala, and O’Keefe in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (vol. 51, no. 3, 2008).

Meals that are high in calories, and/or contain easily digestible, quickly absorbable, calorie-dense processed food and drink result in spikes in blood glucose and triglycerides (blood-borne fats), overwhelming the body’s ability to process them. Oxidative free radicals are then produced which attack the lining of the arteries (endothelium), inflaming them, causing them to constrict, and building up fatty deposits (atherosclerosis). In contrast, smaller meals containing ingredients that digest more slowly (e.g. fiber) produce smaller surges in blood sugar and triglycerides, and are thus not inflammatory.

Even a single meal high in saturated fat results in an increase of triglycerides, oxidative free radicals and inflammation, which negatively affects the function of the endothelium, causing constriction of the arteries, and raising systolic blood pressure.

A high glycemic meal is one that causes a spike in blood glucose. The Glycemic Index rates foods in comparison to glucose. Foods scoring closer to 100 cause relatively large spikes in blood sugar, while foods scoring closer to zero produce relatively small spikes. See a table listing the glycemic index of various foods from Harvard medical school. The body often responds to high glycemic index foods with insulin surges that remove sugar from the blood and can actually result in low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), an ebb in energy, and hunger. Regularly eating this way predisposes one to excess fat on and around the organs below the abdominal muscles (visceral fat) which, in turn, leads to inflammation and insulin resistance and raises the risks of diabetes, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease.

Dietary changes that reduce the magnitude of the triglyceride spike following meals by 20% and 40% respectively have been shown to reduce the risk of coronary artery disease by 30% and 40%. In addition to avoiding foods with a high glycemic index, adding certain foods to the diet can slow down digestion and reduce the spikes in glucose, insulin, and triglycerides. For example, nuts eaten along with a high-carbohydrate meal slow digestion and reduces blood sugar spikes by 30-50%. This both reduces oxidative stress, and provides antioxidants that combat such stress. In fact, a Mediterranean diet supplemented with either 30 grams of nuts or olive oil was found to reduce systolic blood pressure, blood sugar, and biomarkers of inflammation significantly better than a low-fat diet. Eating nuts 5 times per week was found to reduce risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease by 20-50%. Quality protein sources low in saturated fat have a similar beneficial effect. These include egg-whites, lean meats, fish, casein, and whey protein, among others. Fish oil lowers triglyceride levels by 16-40%.

As expected, physical exercise has a positive effect, reducing post-meal spikes in blood sugar and triglycerides. Exercise is most beneficial in this regard if it is done within 2 hours before or after a large meal. Loss of body fat by diet control and/or exercise can also reduce post-meal spiking of blood sugar and triglycerides.

Alcohol consumption shows a J-shaped relationship with inflammation and blood sugar spiking, in addition to various other health problems such as coronary artery disease, diabetes, stroke, dementia, and all-cause death, with the lowest levels of these problems at 1-2 drinks per day for men and 0.5-1 drink a day for women. The J-shape means that drinking no alcohol increases the risk of these problems somewhat, while drinking in excess greatly increases the risks of these problems.

Characteristics of Inflammatory Meals

High in calories
High in calorically-dense foods
High in saturated fat
High in refined carbohydrates
Contain foods with high glycemic index

Characteristics of Diets That are Not Inflammatory

Smaller meals spread over the day
Low in saturated fat
Low in, or free of trans fats
Low in processed carbohydrates
Low in foods with high glycemic index
High in unprocessed fruits and vegetables rich in antioxidants
High in nuts, seeds, and whole grains
Contain vinegar (1-2 tbsp eaten with a meal high in refined carbohydrates reduces the blood sugar spike by 25-35% and reduces hunger)
Moderate amounts of lean animal protein
Moderate amounts of beneficial fats such as fish oil and monounsaturated oils (e.g. olive,canola)

The following Foods High in Antioxidants Help Prevent Oxidative Damage to the Endothelium

Berries
Red wine
Chocolate
Tea
Pomegranates
Cinnamon (also reduces glucose spike caused by high-glycemic-index meal)

If you are concerned about the possibility of inflammation in your arteries, you can ask your doctor about testing the C-reactive protein level in your blood when you get a checkup. However, if your total cholesterol level is below 200 and your HDL level is above 55, it is very unlikely that you have a problem with arterial inflammation. If your C-reactive protein level is above 1.0 or the ratio of your total cholesterol level to your HDL level is above 4.0, you would likely benefit from following an anti-inflammatory diet and exercising regularly.

Cold Weather and Air Conditioning Can Raise Your Blood Pressure

2011-06-24T12:31:00.002-04:00

High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is defined as a systolic pressure above 140 mm of mercury (mmHg) and/or a diastolic pressure above 90 mmHg. Hypertension increases the risk of several major health problems, including heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease. While it is widely recognized that excess sodium intake increases the risk of hypertension, few people know that the ambient temperature at which people live affects the risk of hypertension. And ambient temperature varies with the seasons of the year. The following studies provide evidence for the seasonal variation in blood pressure and risk of hypertension.

In a study by Woodhouse, Khaw, and Plummer, 96 men and women, aged 65-74 years had their blood pressure taken for a full year. It was found that both systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were greatest during the winter for people with both normal and high blood pressure. There was four times the incidence of blood pressures above 160/90 mmHg in winter than in summer. In a strong seasonal trend, a 1 deg C (1.8 deg F) decrease in living-room temperature was associated with increases of 1.3 mmHg in SBP and 0.6 mmHg in DBP. The authors linked this to the greater incidence of cardiac-related deaths of the elderly in winter.

In a study by Brennan, Greenberg and Miall, blood pressure measurements taken for the Medical Research Council's treatment trial for mild hypertension were analyzed according to the month in which the readings were made. For all age, sex, and treatment groups, both systolic and diastolic pressures were higher in winter than in summer. Blood pressure was also highly and significantly related to maximum and minimum daily air temperature. The seasonal variations in blood pressure were greater in older than in younger people.

In a study by Fujiwara et al., blood pressure was measured on 25 hypertensive outpatients (mean age 57), who spent virtually the entire day indoors in both summer and winter. Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure in the morning and night-time periods were significantly higher in winter than in summer (respective differences of 7.5 and 4.1 mmHg in the morning and 8.2 and 4.5 mmHg at night). Despite the fact that the patients lived essentially indoors at a relatively stable environmental temperature, the seasonal variation in blood pressure was statistically significant.

In a study by Kimura et al. of the Department of Integrated Medicine, Kagawa University, Japan, 15 healthy elderly Japanese (mean age 79) measured their blood pressure at home each morning more than 25 times per month for 3 years. The highest levels of both systolic and diastolic blood pressures (129 and 81 mmHg) occurred in February, the coldest month (avg temp. 5.0 deg C, 41 deg F), while the lowest levels (117 and 73 mmHg) were observed in August, the hottest month (mean temp 29.2 deg C, 84.6 deg F). Thus, both systolic and diastolic blood pressure demonstrated a close inverse relationship to outdoor temperature. A one degree C (1.8 deg F) decrease in the mean outdoor temperature was associated with rises of 0.43 mmHg in systolic blood pressure (SBP) and 0.29 mmHg in diastolic blood pressure (DBP).

In a study by Hozawa et al. at the Tohoku School of Medicine in Japan, 79 male and female volunteers (mean age 72.7 years) measured their blood pressure at least once a month for 3 years beginning in September 2000. The mean number of measurements was 19.0 times per month. Blood pressure levels were lowest in the warmest months. A clear inverse association between temperature and blood pressure values was evident when the outside temperatures was above 10°C, producing a respective decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure of 0.40 and 0.28 mmHg for each 1 deg C (1.8 deg F) increment of outside temperature.

A study by Sinha et al. at Maulana Azad Medical College, in India, 275 females 18-40 years of age showed that the prevalence of hypertension based on SBP was 12.7% in summer and 22.2% in winter. The prevalence of hypertension based on DBP was 11.3% in summer vs. 26.6% in winter, a highly statistically significant difference. Overall prevalence of hypertension (SBP = 140 or DBP = 90 mm of Hg) was 1.9 times greater in winter than in summer.

Bottom Line
The temperature at which we live can affect our blood pressure. This is likely related to the fact that, when we are cold, the small arteries in our skin constrict to avoid loss of body heat. That creates resistance to blood flow, thus increasing pressure. When we are hot, the small arteries in the skin widen to allow more heat dissipation, thereby reducing resistance to blood flow. Also, we tend to perspire more when we are hot, thereby losing water and salt, both of which tend to increase blood pressure. The most common medications for reduction of blood pressure are diuretics, which promote loss of water and salt through urination. Sweating can accomplish similar results.

People with hypertension or prehypertension (systolic pressure 120-140) can help control their blood pressure by avoiding being cold. In summer, air conditioning use should be minimized. Most people can adjust to a room temperature of 77 degrees without feeling uncomfortable, and even higher temperatures in locales with low humidity. In winter, the home can be kept warm and, if that is not economically feasible, dressing warmly indoors is a viable alternative. Exercise can be used to warm the body as well.

References

Brennan, P.J., G. Greenberg, W.E. Miall, S.G. Thompson. Seasonal variation in arterial blood pressure. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 285 : 919, 2 October 1982.

Fujiwara, T., M. Kawamura, J. Nakajima, Jun, T. Adachi, K. Hiramori. Seasonal differences in diurnal blood pressure of hypertensive patients living in a stable environmental temperature. Journal of Hypertension, vol. 13, no. 12, 1995.

Hozawa A., S. Kuriyama, T. Shimazu, K. Ohmori-Matsuda, I. Tsuji. Seasonal variation in home blood pressure measurements and relation to outside temperature in Japan. Clin Exp Hypertens, vol. 33, no. 3, pp. 153-8, 2011.

Kimura, T., S. Senda, H. Masugata, A. Yamagami, H. Okuyama, T. Kohno, T. Hirao, M. Fukunaga, H. Okada, F. Goda. Seasonal blood pressure variation and its relationship to environmental temperature in healthy elderly Japanese studied by home measurements.Clin Exp Hypertens. 2010 Jan;32(1):8-12.

Sinha P, D.K. Taneja, N.P. Singh, R. Saha. Seasonal variation in prevalence of hypertension: Implications for interpretation.Indian J Public Health, vol. 54, no. 1, pp. 7-10, 2010.

Woodhouse, P.R., K.T. Khaw, M. Plummer. Seasonal variation of blood pressure and its relationship to ambient temperature in an elderly population. Journal of Hypertension, vol. 11, no. 11, 1993.

Updated List of the Most-Contaminated Fruits and Vegetables

2011-06-14T12:16:00.000-04:00

We have all been well-informed that eating plenty of fruits and vegetables is good for our health. Yet there is a continuing problem with pesticide contamination. It is recommended that we avoid pesticide exposures that are more than a thousandth of the levels known to be toxic. Yet, a 2009 study by the Environmental Protection Agency found that about 40% of U.S. children have levels of at least one pesticide well above this limit.

The nonprofit organization, Environmental Working Group, while reaffirming that eating a lot of fruits and vegetables is good for our health, suggested that by avoiding the most pesticide-contaminated fruits and vegetables, and choosing the least-contaminated ones, we can lower pesticide residues in our bodies. To assist us in making such choices, the organization just published a list of the dozen most pesticide-contaminated fruits and vegetables, based on testing done in 2009 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration. It also published a list of the 15 least-contaminated fruits and vegetables to provide us with healthy alternatives. The group estimates that by avoiding the “Dirty Dozen” (or buying organic versions of these items) and selecting from the “Clean 15” we can cut our pesticide exposure by 92%.

The Dirty Dozen - Most Contaminated Fruits and Vegetables (number 1 is the worst)

Apples
Celery
Strawberries
Peaches
Spinach
Nectarines (imported)
Grapes (imported)
Sweet bell peppers
Potatoes
Blueberries (domestic)
Lettuce
Kale/collard greens

The Clean 15 - Least Contaminated Fruits and Vegetables (Number 1 is the best)

Onions
Sweet corn
Pineapples
Avocados
Asparagus
Sweet peas
Mangoes
Eggplant
Cantaloupe (domestic)
Kiwi
Cabbage
Watermelon
Sweet potatoes
Grapefruit
Mushrooms

Bottom Line
Obviously, buying all organic produce is the best alternative for health. However, most of us cannot or choose not to incur the major budget hit it would entail. So the next best alternative is to avoid the “dirty dozen” while selecting more items from the “clean 15 “ list. Going organic for selected items can still keep our food budgets from skyrocketing.

Drinking Too Much Water Can Be Harmful And Even Fatal

2011-05-31T14:16:00.000-04:00

Drinking large quantities of water has been widely promoted over the past few years as a means of maintaining health, improving appearance, controlling weight, and preventing dehydration. It is now not unusual to see people regularly carrying and sipping from water bottles. Eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day has been commonly recommended as the minimum requirement. However, the evidence shows that this recommendation has little scientific basis. In addition, excess water consumption can be harmful and even fatal.

A June 4, 2009 article by Karen Bellenir, in the online Scientific American, a highly-respected journal, analyzed the origins of the 8 glass a day recommendation and presented the opinions of scientists in the area of hydration. The conclusion was that there was no scientific basis for the recommendation. Some key points from the article:

Most people do not have to drink 64 ounces of water per day.
Water needs differ widely among individuals and depends on many factors including body size, physical activity, ambient temperature and humidity.
Much of our fluid needs are met from the water content in food.
The only people who benefit from drinking large amounts of water are those who sweat a lot due to their participation in heavy physical activity, especially in hot environments, and people with specific medical conditions such as kidney stones or urinary tract infections.
For hydration purposes, all drinks composed largely of water, including milk, juice, coffee, and tea are roughly equivalent to drinking plain water. While caffeine does somewhat stimulate urination, the net effect of these drinks is to provide the body with water. Only alcoholic beverages cause a net water loss.
Drinking when thirsty is the best means of meeting our physiological need for fluid.
Drinking water before meals does not reduce appetite or food consumption. However, eating foods that contain a lot of water but few calories (e.g. salad vegetables, fruit) can help control appetite.

One might think that excessive water-drinking is relatively harmless, with the only downsides being a bloated stomach, frequent urination, the expense of buying water and the inconvenience of carrying it. However, excessive water-drinking can actually be harmful and even fatal, as revealed in a June 21, 2007 article by Coco Ballentyne in the Scientific American online. Fatalities cited in the article include those of a woman who died after drinking 6 liters of water in a radio-station sponsored contest to see who could hold their urine the longest and an aspirant to a college fraternity who was prompted to drink excessive amounts of water. In addition, several athletes and military personnel have died after drinking excessive quantities of water in an effort to avoid dehydration.

The cause of these deaths is hyponatremia, which is a dangerously low concentration of sodium in the blood. Warning symptoms of this disorder include frequent urination, fatigue, headache, nausea, vomiting, and disorientation. Much of the damage is caused by entry of the excessive water into brain cells, with resultant brain swelling and damage.

It particularly dangerous for people engaged in endurance sports to drink excessive water because such physical activity stimulates the secretion of a hormone that tends to conserve water in the body by reducing excretion, even when drinking is excessive. This can reduce the kidneys’ ability to remove water from the bloodstream by 90%. Sport drinks, which contain sodium and other electrolytes as well as carbohydrates can help in preventing dangerous dilution of the blood, yet even excessive drinking of these fluids can cause hyponatremia. Drinking to thirst is still seen as the best recommendation.

Another possible negative effect of drinking too much water is the effect on blood pressure. A study by Callegaro et al. published in the Journal of Human Hypertension (vol. 21, pp. 564-570, July 2007) concluded that, after ingesting 500 ml (a little over 2 cups) of water, the systolic blood pressure of both subjects with and without high blood pressure rose 17-19 points and the diastolic blood pressure rose 14 points. These are major increases. While other studies did not observe this effect, it appears that excess water consumption may increase the possibility of high blood pressure. Thus, drinking to thirst is the best means of taking an amount of water that will avoid both dehydration and hyponatremia.

Omega-3 Fats from Fish Oil Raise Risk of High-Grade Prostate Cancer

2011-05-02T14:09:00.003-04:00

It has been increasingly evident that there are trade-offs in the quest to get and stay healthy. In other words, there are actions we can take that will reduce the risk of one health problem, but increase the risk of another. One example is playing high-impact sports such as basketball, which is great for improving and maintaining physical fitness while having fun, but also increases the risk of sprains, strains and other musculoskeletal problems. Now, an article by Brasky et al. in the American Journal of epidemiology (published online April 24, 2011) points up a trade-off involved in taking fish-oil supplements, which have been widely recommended for reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases and other health problems.

The researchers analyzed blood samples of 3,461 men to measure levels of omega-3 fats (DHA and EPA from fish consumption), omega-6 fats (from common vegetable oils), and trans-fats (from hydrogenated oils in margarine, shortening, and processed foods). The men were then followed over a 7-year period in order to see the association of the different fat types to the incidence of prostate cancer. The hypotheses were that:

Because of the anti-inflammatory effect of the omega-3 fats, men with the highest blood levels of them would have a lower incidence of prostate cancer
Because of the inflammatory effect of the trans- fats, men with the highest blood levels of them would have a higher incidence of prostate cancer

Results
The statistical analysis produced the following surprising results:

> There were no effects of any of the fat types on overall incidence of prostate cancer.
> When looking at the high-grade form of prostate cancer that progresses rapidly and is the most lethal:

Those men with the highest blood levels of DHA from fish oil had more than twice the risk of contracting high-grade prostate cancer as men with the lowest blood levels of DHA.
EPA from fish oil had no effect on the incidence of high-grade prostate cancer.
Those men with the highest blood levels of trans-fats had about half the risk of contracting high-grade prostate cancer as men with the lowest blood levels of trans-fats
Blood levels of the type of omega-3 fat from vegetable sources (e.g. flax seeds, walnuts) had no effect on the incidence of high-grade prostate cancer.

Bottom Line
The results of highly surprising, given the widespread view of fish oil as all-good and trans-fats as all-bad. Here is a clear case of trade-off. There is considerable evidence that fish-oil is good for the heart and cardiovascular system and reduces the incidence of heart attacks. Yet, here we see that it increases the risk of high-grade prostate cancer. Eating omega-3 fats from flax-seeds or other vegetable sources is not a solution because that type of omega-3 fat has not been proven to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. The good news is that most prostate cancer is of the low-grade variety. Given that heart disease remains the number one killer of both men and women, it doesn’t appear that fish and fish-oil be abandoned as a health-promoting dietary elements. Yet men must be aware of the trade-off in risk of eating fatty fish or taking fish-oil supplements in order to make an informed decision about how best to promote their health.

Update (May 8, 2011):
Consumerlab.com, a company that tests the quality of supplements from various companies, contacted Dr. Theodore Brasky, the lead author of the study described herein. He stated that the blood levels of DHA and EPA measured in the study were largely based on fish consumption rather than fish-oil supplements. However, a recent study of his, soon to be published, shows no link between fish oil supplementation and risk of prostate cancer. He also noted another study (Szymanski, Am J Clin Nutr 2010) that found fish consumption associated with a large reduction in late state or fatal prostate cancer.

Soy Products Have a Negative Effect on Masculinity

2011-04-29T14:08:00.000-04:00

Because it is a relatively inexpensive source of protein, soy is widely used to fortify many high-protein foods such as bars, cereals and shakes. However, as detailed on our website, the estrogen-like qualities of soy proteins (isoflavones) have a negative effect on masculinity.

A recent study by Wada et al. in the American Journal of Epidemiology (vol. 173, no. 9, pp. 998-1003, 2011) indicates that such demasculinizing effects can begin very early. The researchers collected dietary histories and urinary testosterone levels from 230 Japanese boys aged 3-6 years. When the boys were divided into 4 groups based on the quantity of soy they ate, the group that consumed the least soy had a notably mean higher testosterone level than the other 3 groups. The same was true when the grouping was made based on isoflavone consumption.

The American Academy of Pediatrics, but not the U.S. government, has recommended that infants who cannot be breastfed be nourished with formula based on cow milk rather than soy. Also, several countries including Israel, France, New Zealand, and Australia have officially recommended against soy-based baby formula. While the U.S. has made no such official recommendation, parents here would do best to avoid soy-based infant formula as well as soy-containing foods for their older children.

Bottom Line
Men should carefully read nutrition labels and avoid foods containing soy or isolated soy protein. Preferable sources of protein include fish and lean meats, low-fat dairy products, and eggs in moderation. Acceptable protein supplements include whey protein and casein, both derived from milk. Some men avoid milk because they believe they are intolerant of lactose (milk sugar). Yet many of these men are not actually lactose intolerant. For those who really are, there are many alternatives. Whey protein and casein do not contain lactose, and have shown in studies to be very effective for muscle building. Most cheeses are made up mainly of protein and fat, with very little lactose, but should be eaten in moderation because of the high saturated fat and cholesterol content. Milk products should be of the low-fat or non-fat varieties to limit saturated fat and cholesterol. Lactose-free milk is also available in most supermarkets.

Our Changing Eating Patterns

2011-04-12T11:45:00.002-04:00

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently published information on the sources of our daily caloric intake between 1970 and 2008, a time period in which our daily caloric consumption increased by 23.2% from 2,169 cals to 2,672 cals, and rates of overweight and obesity have risen sharply. An interactive graphic was created from the data that allows users to scroll along a time-line to see how the amount of daily calories in each food category has changed over time. The following are the percentage changes in calories coming from each food category:

meat, eggs, and nuts: +4.1%
fruit:                         +22.9%
added fat: +56.3%
dairy:      -3.7%
grains:                      +44.7%
vegetables                   -2.4%
added sugar              +14.2%

Some Observations on the Data

In Terms of Absolute Calories

The biggest contributors by far to our increased daily caloric intake are added fat (231 cals) and grains (193 cals).
Much more modest contributors to our increased daily caloric intake are added sugar (57 cals), meat/eggs/nuts (19 cals), and fruit (16 calories).
Our daily consumption of dairy actually decreased by 10 calories and of vegetables by 3 calories.

In Terms of Percentage of Daily Calories

The only foods that increased as percentages of our diet from 1970 to 2008 are added fats (from 18.9% to 24.0% of daily calories) and grains (from 19.9 % to 23.4% of daily calories).
Caloric consumption from fruit was steady at 3.2 % of calories.
All other foods declined as percentages of our daily calories including meat/nuts/eggs (from 21.3% to 18.0% of daily calories), dairy (from 12.3% to 9.6% of daily calories), added sugar (from 18.5% to 17.2% of daily calories), and vegetables (from 5.8% to 4.6% of daily calories).

Bottom Line
The greatest contributors to our increase in caloric consumption are grains and added fat. While we have increased our intake of all other foods except vegetables, grains and fat together account for 84% of our increase in caloric consumption and should therefore be the prime focus of cutting back calories. This makes it clear that the low-fat and low-carb diets are both missing something because the intake of both must be reduced. Any diet that emphasizes what you eat rather than how much you eat is bound to fail. Overweight and obese people who seek to attain a healthy body weight must face the reality that total intake must be lessened. Focusing on eating both fewer grain-based foods and fewer added fats is a good start.

Can Video Games Improve Physical Fitness?

2011-04-08T11:30:00.001-04:00

With the development of video game devices that detect body motions of players and use those motions to control games, the opportunity for turning the formerly sedentary activity of video gaming into physically active fun has greatly expanded. However, it is only recently that the exercise stimulus of such games has been scientifically evaluated. One such study, by Worley, Rogers, and Kraemer was recently reported in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (vol. 25, no. 3, pp. 689-693, 2011).

Experimental Procedure
8 young women averaging 22 years of age were first tested for the maximal rate at which their bodies could process oxygen (VO2max). Then they played 2 different Nintendo Wii Fit video games (Hula and Step) at the beginner and intermediate levels for 10 minutes each. During each game session, each subject was connected to a metabolic cart that measured the rate of oxygen consumption.

Results
The percentage of VO2max elicited during the video games ranged from 30.6% for the beginner level Step game to 39.4% for the intermediate level Hula game. These levels respectively corresponded to walking speeds of 2.5 mph and 3.6 mph, categorized as mild to moderate exercise.

Bottom Line
Video games that require physical activity have excellent potential for getting people who would not ordinarily exercise to do so. Nintendo’s Wii system involves a controller that is held in the hand and picks up movements using accelerometers. The XBOX game with the Kinect accessory is revolutionary in that it senses whole body movements without anything held in the hand or attached to the body. While the games in this study only elicited mild to moderate levels of exercise, the advanced game levels were not tested, probably because they require a lot of practice. Thus, the potential for higher exercise levels is certainly there. These games are a great way of getting people who are not attracted to sports or typical exercise routines but who like video games to become more physically active.

Effectiveness of Different Kinds of Strength Training Periodization

2011-04-04T13:58:00.000-04:00

Periodization of strength training entails changing over time the weight handled in each exercise along with the number of repetitions per set. When the weight used is higher, the number of repetitions is lower and when the weight used is lower, the number of repetitions is higher. It is widely agreed among strength and conditioning professionals that periodized strength training is more effective than non-periodized training.

There are various versions of strength training periodization, including:

Traditional periodization - The trainee starts with relative light weights and high repetitions, and over a period of several weeks, increases the amount of weight lifted while decreasing the number of repetitions. For example, the trainee might begin by doing 10 repetitions per set with 60% of the maximum weight that can be lifted for a single repetition and progress to 4 repetitions with 80% of the max weight.
Daily Undulating Periodization - On different days, the trainee uses a different combination of weights and repetitions. A sample schedule might be medium weight and medium reps on Monday, light weight and high reps on Wednesday, and heavy weight and low reps on Friday.
Weekly Undulating Periodization - Weight and reps fluctuate from week to week. A sample schedule might be low weight and high reps on week 1, medium weight and medium reps on week 2, and high weight and low reps on week 3, with this 3-week pattern repeating several times.

A recent study by Apel, Lacey, and Kell in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (vol. 25, no. 3, pp. 694-703, 2011) sought to determine the relative effectiveness of traditional vs. weekly undulating periodization.

Experimental Procedure
Forty-two young, physically active men were divided into three groups of 14 that trained for 12 weeks as follows:

Control group - Performed no strength training
Traditional periodization (TP) - Increased the resistance in a fairly linear manner from 57% of max the first week to 80% of max the final week.
Weekly Undulating Periodization (WUP) - Started at 57% of max, but increased resistance over 3 weeks before reducing weight close to where it started and increasing it back again over 3 weeks. This was done over 3 cycles in which both the starting and ending weight for each 3-week cycle became greater than for the previous 3-week cycle, ending at 78% of max.

There were 15 different exercises selected to work the entire body. The exercises used, rest time, total exercise volume and average percent of maximum weight used were the same in both groups. There were 3 training sessions per week for the first 2 weeks and 4 per week for the remaining weeks, in which half the exercises were performed 2 days per week (e.g. Mon. and Thu.) and the other half on 2 other days per week (e.g. Tue. and Fri).

Results

Both periodized training groups increased significantly in strength, while the control group did not.
Increases in back squat strength were significantly greater for the TP group (54%) than for the WUP group (34%).
Increases in bench press strength were significantly greater for the TP group (24%) than for the WUP group (19%).
Increases in pull-down strength were significantly greater for the TP group (29%) than for the WUP group (19%).
Increases in dumbbell shoulder press strength were significantly greater for the TP group (48%) than for the WUP group (36%).
Increases in leg extension strength were greater for the TP group (39%) than for the WUP group (27%), although the between-group difference did not reach statistical significance.
There was more muscle soreness and fatigue reported among the WUD group, which may have hindered training progress.

Bottom Line
For this group of recreationally active males, traditional periodization produced superior results to weekly undulating periodization. The between-group differences were great enough to be meaningful.

Is Cycling Actually Detrimental to Bone Health?

2011-03-31T13:05:00.000-04:00

An article by Nichols and Rauh in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (vol. 25, no. 3, March, pp. 727-734, 2011) showed that hours of weekly bicycling exercise, in the absence of weight-resisted or impact exercise may actually be worse for bone density than no exercise at all. While such exercise seems fine for keeping the heart, lungs, and circulatory system healthy, and bodyweight under control, the evidence shows that it is a poor exercise for bone health.

Experimental Procedure
The study tracked, over a 7-year period, bone density in the lumbar spine, total hip, and femoral neck (segment of the thigh bone adjacent to the pelvis) as well as body fat and lean tissue measurements of 19 Master’s competitive cyclists and 18 non-athletes, who averaged 51 years of age at the start of the study.

Results

At both the initial and final testing, the cyclists had consistently lower bone mineral density at all sites measured than the non-athletes.
After statistical adjustment for changes in body mass index, lean mass, calcium intake and exercise habits, the cyclists lost more bone mineral density over the 7 years than the non-athletes.
The subjects who reported doing weight-bearing or impact exercise lost significantly less bone density in the spine and femoral neck than those who did not do such exercise.
At initial testing, 84% of the cyclists and 50% of the non-athletes met the criterion for osteopenia (subnormal bone density).
At the final testing, 90% of the cyclists and 61% of the non-athletes met the criterion for osteopenia.
Six of the cyclists but only one of the non-athletes had full-blown osteoporosis (critically low bone-density) by the end of the study.
Even when they were made aware of bone-density problems, very few of the subjects changed their diets to include more calcium.

Bottom Line
The evidence provides a strong indication that cycling is not beneficial to bone health. If done in the absence of weight-resisted exercise (e.g. squat, deadlift) or impact exercise (e.g. running, gymnastics, dance) bone loss is likely to result. One hypothesis is that the lack of impact or weight on the bone fails to stimulate mineralization, while calcium-containing sweat is lost during heavy cycling exercise. Another possibility is that endurance exercise tends to suppress testosterone, which helps maintain bone mass. Older competitive cyclists are at great risk for bone fracture because of their low bone density and high risk of bicycle crashes. Weight-resisted or impact exercise should be started when people are young because that is when bone is most readily mineralized.

Maintaining Strength and Muscle Mass As We Age

2011-03-29T13:39:00.001-04:00

An article entitled, “Staying Strong: How exercise and diet can help preserve your muscles” appeared in the April 2011 issue of the Nutrition Action Health Letter, a publication of the Center for Science in the Public Interest. The article stated some interesting facts, including:

Starting in their late 30s and early 40s, most people lose a quarter pound of muscle per year.
Several studies have shown that resistance exercise can restore and preserve strength and power, even at an advanced age.
Resistance exercise also helps prevent loss in bone density and may even reverse age-related loss.
People with Type II diabetes can lower their blood sugar by doing resistance exercise.
After a large protein feeding (~ 30 grams, the quantity in 4 ounces of cooked meat) both younger and older people show equivalent protein synthesis (muscle-building) responses.
After a small protein feeding (~ 14 grams, the quantity in an egg plus a glass of milk) younger people synthesize about half the protein they synthesized in the large feeding BUT PEOPLE OVER 60 SHOW ALMOST NO PROTEIN SYSTHESIS. In other words, the larger protein portions are necessary for the older people to synthesize any protein at all. However, anything above 30 grams of protein in a meal is either burned off as energy or stored as fat. So extremely large protein meals do not aid in muscle-building.
Of the 9 essential amino acids that our bodies can’t manufacture and must ingest, leucine is by far the most important for muscle development, especially for older individuals. Researchers recommend a minimum of 3 grams of leucine per meal, in addition to other amino acids. Animal products generally have relatively high percentages of leucine. Protein from whey (a byproduct of cheese-making) is relatively high in leucine and makes a good protein supplement.
Plant protein contains a smaller percentage of leucine, but soy is the best of the common plant proteins in regard to leucine content.
According to researchers, ingesting protein shortly after exercise provides the greatest boost for muscle building. Two hours is the longest one should wait before ingesting protein after resistance exercise.
While the U.S. Institute of Medicine set a Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of 0.36 grams of protein per pound bodyweight per day, researchers feel that about 0.50 grams of protein per pound bodyweight per day can best promote muscle building and minimize muscle loss as we age.

Bottom Line
Regular resistance exercise and adequate protein intake are essential for increasing and maintaining strength and muscle mass, especially as we age. A daily protein intake of half a gram per pound bodyweight is recommended (e.g. a 200 lb person should take in 100 grams of protein daily). The protein should not be concentrated in one meal but should be distributed over the day in meals containing about 30 grams of protein.

New Army Physical Fitness Test to Simulate Battlefield Activities

2011-03-03T12:08:00.003-05:00

On February 28, 2011 the Official U.S. Army website reported that, after 30 years of using the same physical fitness test, the Army is developing a new physical fitness test battery to better simulate battlefield activities. The previous test was comprised of the following 3 tests done with a short rest in between:

As many pushups as possible in 2 minutes
As many situps as possible in 2 minutes
Running 2 miles a quickly as possible

Scoring was based on age and gender. See our web site for testing details and scoring charts.
The revised test has not been finalized, but trials are being held this month on 7 Army bases and at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. A review and approval process will take place before full implementation. The article states that there will be a general physical readiness test for all soldiers and a physical readiness test for those going into combat:

Army Physical Readiness Test

60-yard shuttle run
one-minute rower (see diagram)
standing long-jump
one-minute push-up
1.5 mile run

Army Physical Readiness Test
The examinee will be timed while performing the following obstacle-course sequence while wearing a combat uniform and helmet and carrying a rifle:

400-meter run
Low hurdles
high crawl
Over and under
casualty drag
Balance beam while holding ammo cans
Point and move
100 yard shuttle sprint while holding ammo cans
Agility sprint around cones

See the Army article for a diagram of the course. As with the current Army Physical Fitness Test, scoring charts will be developed that take age and gender into consideration.

The change in the fitness tests appears to be a good one because the new test more closely simulates battlefield physical demands. It might even be better if the Physical Readiness Test were performed while the examinees carried a combat load similar to those normally worn by soldiers.

Mens-fitness-and-health.com is very supportive of functional training that seeks to improve performance in sports, combat, or daily living. Function-based training programs emphasize improved physical performance rather than appearance. Workouts designed to “get big” generally train isolated muscle groups and do not prepare the body for strenuous whole-body physical demands.

Active vs. Passive Recovery Between Exercise Bouts

2011-02-08T11:55:00.074-05:00

Active recovery between bouts of exercise involves the performance of low-level exercise rather than rest, while passive recovery involves rest only. Opinions vary as to whether active or passive recovery produces better performance on subsequent exercise bouts. Two articles in the January 2011 issue of the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research ( vol. 25, no. 1) address this issue.

The first article, by Toubekis et al. (pp. 109-116), examined the effects of passive and active rest on repeated swim sprint speed:

Experimental Procedure
10 male competitive swimmers averaging 18 years of age performed eight 25-meter swim sprints separated by 2 minute recovery periods. After the last 25-m sprint, a 6 minute recovery period was provided before a single 50-meter sprint. On different occasions each subject’s recovery periods were as follows:

A - passive rest
B - swimming continuously at 40% of the maximum velocity they could sustain for 100-m.
C - swimming continuously at 60% of the maximum velocity they could sustain for 100-m.

The 25-m sprints took in the range of 11.5-13.0 seconds to complete.

Results:

Statistically, the passive recovery and 40% of max speed recovery produced significantly faster 25-m times than did the 60% of max speed recovery.
The average 25-m time with the passive recovery was faster than the time with the 40%-max recovery. However, the difference did not reach statistical significance.
There was no statistically significant difference between recovery methods for the 50-m sprint.

The second article, by Miladi et al. (pp. 205-210) examined the effects of recovery by passive rest, active rest, and dynamic stretching on 4-minute work bouts and subsequent stationary bicycling time to exhaustion.

Experimental Procedure:
10 soccer athletes averaging 26 years of age exercised on a stationary bicycle at high intensity (20% higher than the power output they exhibited at their maximal rate of oxygen uptake) 4 times for 30 seconds, with 30 seconds of passive rest in between for a total of 3.5 minutes. They then had a 4 minute recovery period before doing another 3.5-minute exercise bout of the same kind. Following another 4-minute recovery period, they then cycled as long as they could at the same high intensity used in the exercise bouts. On three different occasions the 4-minute recovery periods consisted of:

passive recovery: no exercise
active recovery: they kept cycling, but at low intensity (30% of the power output at their maximal rate of oxygen uptake)
dynamic stretching using 4 different lower body stretches, each done for 30 seconds. Between the stretches, "dynamic awakening" muscular exercises were done.

Results

Dynamic stretching and active recovery both resulted in significantly longer time until exhaustion (~20%) than passive recovery.
Dynamic stretching resulted in about 8% longer time until exhaustion than active recovery, but the difference didn't reach statistical significance.

Bottom Line
The first study indicates that passive recovery or low-intensity active recovery were most effective for 2-minute recovery periods separating 11.5-13.0 second bouts of swim sprinting. However, the second study found that stretching or active recovery was more effective than passive recovery following 3.5 minute work bouts separated by 4-minute recovery periods. The main difference between the studies lies in the duration of the work bouts and rest periods. The activities also differed - swimming and cycling.

Looking at the results of these two studies and the results of similar studies, it appears that for short sprints (under 20 seconds) and short rest periods (under 3 minutes) passive recovery is most effective, allowing short-term energy stores in the muscles to replenish. However, for longer sprints and longer recovery periods, active recovery or dynamic stretching may be more effective.

Since the effectiveness of a recovery method depends on sprint duration, recovery interval, and type of activity, it seems best for coaches to try the different recovery methods to see which one is most effective for their specific sport program.

13 Iowa Football Players with Rhabdomyolysis: A Case of Coaching Incompetence

2011-02-04T12:50:00.000-05:00

Thirteen University of Iowa football players were recently hospitalized for rhabdomyolysis caused by extreme physical exertion. Symptoms of the ailment include dark-colored urine, fatigue, muscle weakness, and muscle tenderness. Although the athletes have since been released from the hospital, information has not been released as to whether any permanent injury has resulted.

Rhabdomyolysis is a serious medical problem. It occurs when myoglobin leaks out of muscle cells due alcoholism, crush injuries, heatstroke, extreme physical exertion and other causes. Just as hemoglobin in red blood cells carries oxygen to the muscles and other body tissue to provide energy through oxidation of carbohydrates and fats, myoglobin carries oxygen within the muscle cells to the mitochondria, which are the oxidative energy-production units within the cells. Myoglobin is a large molecule and, when it leaks into the blood stream, it travels to the kidneys for removal. However, the myoglobin molecules are too large for the kidneys to readily clear, and can easily block the kidney’s filtration system. In addition, myoglobin breaks down into potentially harmful compounds. Permanent kidney damage or even kidney failure may result, which may require lifelong dialysis or a kidney transplant. See the National Institutes of Health for further information on rhabdomyolysis.

Extreme muscle soreness brings with it with a significant risk for rhabdomyolysis. Virtually all muscle soreness is attributable to the eccentric phase of exercise, which occurs when the muscle is lengthened while resisting. This occurs in the lowering phase of every weightlifting or calisthenic repetition, and also in the initial ground-contact phase of running, particularly downhill running. It also occurs during the deceleration phase of sports activities, as in braking for directional change and bringing a moving limb to a halt.

There is no excuse for any strength and conditioning coach to induce rhabdomyolysis. The press has reported that the workouts of the Iowa football players were extremely severe and may have been used as a punishment. One athlete said, “I had to squat 240 pounds 100 times and it was timed. I can’t walk and I fell down the stairs.” Another one said, “Hands Down the hardest workout I’ve ever had in my life!”. In addition, the severe workout occurred just after the athletes returned from winter break, during which most of them had not engaged in heavy resistance exercise. That made them particularly vulnerable to extreme muscle soreness and rhabdomyolysis.

Such an approach is totally unnecessary. Firstly, exercise should never be used as a punishment. Secondly, any knowledgeable and competent coach has to be aware that any exercise regimen that induces extreme muscle soreness presents a significant risk for rhabdomyolysis. Muscle soreness is not a prerequisite for muscle strengthening! The most effective way to increase strength is to start with light resistance and gradually increase the weight lifted over a period of time as the muscles strengthen. High repetitions are totally unnecessary for strength and power athletes like football players. Muscle fatigue following a workout is expected and desirable within limits, but muscle soreness is unnecessary and can actually slow down progress in strength development.

An extensive article and interview of coaches, doctors, and a parent of one of the players is available on the Internet.

Fatty Liver Disease: Another Reason to Avoid Obesity

2011-01-26T13:13:00.000-05:00

An article in the January 2011 issue of the Harvard Health Letter reveals that the epidemic of obesity has increased the occurrence of fatty liver disease. Previously, most cases of fatty liver disease were related to excess alcohol consumption, but now, many cases are related to excess body fat, which can lead to Type II diabetes. Fatty liver disease affects 70-90% of those who are obese and/or have diabetes.

Abdominal obesity can lead to metabolic syndrome (elevated blood pressure and levels of triglycerides and blood sugar, and low HDL (good cholesterol). Overfilled fat cells become resistant to insulin (which lowers blood sugar by storing it in the cells) resulting in excess fatty acids in the blood. Fat then accumulates in liver cells, which can lead to inflammation and liver tissue damage. This can in turn bring about liver fibrosis (buildup of fibrous tissue) or cirrhosis (buildup of scar tissue). Cirrhosis increases the risk of liver cancer.

Fatty liver disease increases the risk of heart attack and stroke because a fatty liver produces inflammatory factors that can promote the deposition of plaque in the arteries, leading to arterial narrowing.

The only effective treatment for fatty liver disease is to lose weight.

Bottom Line
If you want to avoid or reverse fatty liver disease, avoid gaining unnecessary body fat or lose existing excess body fat through a program of good nutrition and exercise. Both caloric restriction and exercise are essential parts of any weight-loss program.

As We Age, Cholesterol Level Loses Its Value as a Risk Factor

2011-01-19T13:39:00.001-05:00

Because both a high total cholesterol level and a high LDL-cholesterol level are risk factors for heart disease, statin drugs, which lower both levels, are widely prescribed. In the U.S., more prescriptions are written for Lipitor, the most popular statin, than for any other drug. Estimates for the number of people who take statins range between 11 million and 30 million. But should so many people be taking statins? A recent analysis, in which scientists reviewed 14 studies that included data from over 34,000 patients, showed little evidence that statins prevent heart trouble in patients with no history of cardiovascular disease. And because there is some evidence linking low cholesterol levels with increased risk of death from other causes, the study authors feel that doctors should be more cautious about prescribing statins.

An important factor to consider when deciding whether or not to prescribe statins is the patient’s age. A study by Kronmal et al., entitled, “Total Serum Cholesterol levels and mortality risk as a function of age” in the Archives of Internal Medicine (vol. 153, pp. 1065-1073, 1993) examined how age affected the ability of cholesterol level to predict the risk of dying, and it showed that the predictive value declined with age.
The most important consideration when judging mortality risk is the overall likelihood of dying from any cause. In that regard, at age 40, those people with higher total serum cholesterol levels had a significantly higher all-cause mortality risk. However, the relationship declined with age, and by age 60, the relationship between total cholesterol level and all-cause mortality had vanished. By age 80, the relationship actually reversed, so that those with higher cholesterol levels were at significantly lower risk of dying.

Looking specifically at the risk of death from coronary heart disease, the death risk at ages 40, 50, and 60 years was greater for those with higher cholesterol levels, although the effect got smaller with age. By age 70, the relationship was still positive but weak, but by age 80 the relationship reversed, and those with higher cholesterol levels actually had less chance of dying.

Looking at death due to causes other than heart disease, (e.g. cancer), from age 50 on, there was a lower risk of dying as cholesterol levels rose. This apparent protective effect of cholesterol against non-heart-disease death increased with age. Seventy-three percent of 80 year-old men with cholesterol levels above 240 survived for 5 years, while only 49% of those with levels below 240 did. The effect was in the same direction but weaker for women, with a 74% and 70% 5-year survival rates for women with cholesterol levels respectively above and below 240 mg/dl. In regard to cancer alone, higher cholesterol level was associated with lower death risk.

Bottom Line
The current practice of the medical establishment of prescribing statins to anyone with a total cholesterol level above 200 appears to be unjustified. For patients with elevated cholesterol levels and a history of heart disease, statins provide a proven reduction in risk. However, for patients with mildly elevated levels and no history or heart disease, the evidence in favor of prescribing statins is weak or nonexistent. And for men above age 70, even those with cholesterol levels above 240, statins could very well increase the risk of death.

New Insights into Obesity

2011-01-14T14:10:00.000-05:00

The December 2010 issue of the Nutrition Action Health Letter, published by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, featured an interview with Eric Ravussin, head of the Nutrition Obesity Research Center of the highly regarded Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, LA. The discussion centered on new clues as to why we gain weight, and revealed the following:

Leptin, a hormone discovered in 1994, is produced by fat cells and tells the brain when the cells are full.
When people diet and lose weight, leptin levels drop sharply, causing food cravings and weight regain.
Loss of 10-20% of body weight slows the metabolism and rate of caloric burn.
Injecting leptin can bring the metabolism back up.
However, most overweight people are resistant to leptin, just as Type II diabetics are resistant to insulin.
Using drugs to shut down hunger mechanisms doesn’t work well because the human body has developed several redundant systems to stimulate eating as protection against starvation.
People have natural ranges of body fat depending on their genes that control energy intake and expenditure.
Nutrition in the womb and infancy can affect propensity for overweight and obesity by switching different genes on and off.
Brown adipose tissue, which burns calories to produce body heat, previously thought to exist only in infants, was recently discovered in adults.
By maintaining homes at a steady comfortable temperature throughout the year, we don’t burn calories via brown fat to keep warm in winter, and we miss the appetite-suppressing effect of heat in the summer.
A common cold virus (adenovirus-36) makes experimental animals gain a lot of weight. Antibodies to this virus, an indication of exposure, are much more common in obese than in normal-weight people.
Gut bacteria can be a factor. Transplanting feces from a fat animal to a lean one results in weight gain for the latter, while transplanting from the lean to the fat animal makes the fatter one leaner. Similar transplants in humans have reduced insulin-resistance of people with metabolic syndrome, a set of symptoms indicative of heart-disease risk characterized by excess fat around the waist, low HDL, and elevated blood pressure, blood triglycerides, and fasting blood glucose.

Ravussin feels that we should tax soft drinks and other unhealthy foods while subsidizing healthy foods, create areas where kids can safely play, and make physical education mandatory so that everyone, not only the athletically-gifted, engages in physical activity,

Does Heavily Advertised Exercise Equipment Really Provide Advantages?

2011-01-04T14:04:00.001-05:00

Advertisements on TV and elsewhere make it appear that, if you buy the latest innovative exercise device you will make faster and greater gains than you could using more conventional exercise equipment. Unfortunately, such claims, however seductive, do not usually stand up to scrutiny. The following articles in the December 2010 issue (vol. 24, no. 12) of the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research highlight instances in which such equipment fails to provide any training advantage over standard exercises.

An article by Youdas et al. (pp. 3552-3562) compared the electrical activity of 4 chest, arm, and shoulder muscles of 20 subjects doing pushups using the Perfect-Pushup device and the same subjects doing standard pushups. The Perfect-Pushup device allows free horizontal rotation of the hands during the pushup movement while, during the standard pushup, the hands maintain their position throughout the movement. Pushups both with and without the device were done 3 different ways - using wide, shoulder-width, and narrow hand placements. While the results showed some small advantages of either the Perfect-Pushup or standard pushup as to the intensity of involvement of specific muscles when using particular hand positions, neither the Perfect-Pushup nor standard pushup showed any overall superiority to the other form of exercise. Hand position had a much more striking effect on muscle involvement, indicating that pushups should be done at various hand placements in order to stimulate a wide range of chest, shoulder, and arm musculature.

Another article by Youdas et al. (pp. 3404-3414) compared exercise using the Perfect-Pullup device to standard pull-ups (overhand grip) and chin-ups (underhand grip) using an overhead straight bar. The Perfect-Pullup device allows free horizontal rotation of the hands during the pull-up movement while, during the standard pull-up and chin-up, the hands maintain their position throughout the movement. Muscle electrical activity sensors were used to monitor the effort of 7 different muscle groups for 21 men and 4 women during the exercises. The results showed that, while there were some significant differences in muscle activation between the chin-up and pull-up, there were no significant differences between the Perfect-Pullup device and either the chin-up or pull-up. The authors concluded that the Perfect-Pullup device did not provide any advantage over standard pull-ups or chin-ups.

An article by Willardson et al. (pp. 3415-3421) compared the electrical activity of 3 abdominal muscles and 1 set of back muscles during 3 traditional trunk exercises and abdominal exercise using a device called the Ab Circle. Results showed no statistically significant differences in muscle activity between the Ab Circle and standard exercises. Yet the mean activity of the rectus abdominis muscles (6-pack) and lower abdominal stabilizer muscles was highest during the standard crunch, and the erector spinae (low back) muscles and external obliques (lateral waist) were most active during the side bridge. Thus the Ab Circle provided no advantage over standard calisthenic exercises for working the abdominal and low back musculature.

An article by Schoffstall, Titcomb, and Kilbourne (pp. 3422-3426) compared the electrical activity of 5 muscles involved in abdominal and hip flexion (upper rectus abdominis, lower rectus abdominis, internal obliques, external obliques, and rectus femoris) during the following isometric exercises:
- Crunch
- Supine V-up (while facing upward, back and legs rise off the ground to make a V-shape)
- Prone V-up (while facing down, butt rises up while hands and feet approach each other, making inverted V-shape) done as follows:

Feet on ground (no equipment)
Feet on FB large exercise ball
Feet on Power Slide
Feet supported by TRX suspension straps
Feet on Power Wheel

The results showed that:

All exercises stimulated the external obliques, upper rectus abdominis, and lower rectus abdominis similarly
The supine V-up without equipment showed greater internal oblique activity than the V-up done on the slide board.
The rectus femoris was less active during the crunch than during any of the other exercises. This is not surprising since the knees are specifically bent during a crunch to take the hip-flexors out of play and focus only on the abdominal muscles.
Overall, the prone and supine V-up exercises done without equipment provided as much training stimulus to the muscles tested as did the prone V-up using any of the commercial equipment.

Bottom Line
These studies indicate that much of the exercise equipment heavily marketed to the public provides no advantage in training stimulus over standard exercises. The only advantage of such equipment is that it provides variety, which may be important to maintain the motivation to exercise. Some exercise enthusiasts, even when informed that such equipment usually provides no shortcuts to the results they desire, may still wish to purchase them in order to keep their workout fresh, and that is fine. However, for those who would rather use their money for different purposes, there are other ways to add variety to a workout. Using standard gym equipment, a wide variety of exercises can be performed, especially using free-weight barbells and dumbbells and an overhead bar for hanging exercises.

Eating Nuts Provides Several Health Benefits

2010-12-30T13:05:00.000-05:00

An article in the January 2011 Harvard Health Letter listed several health benefits of eating nuts. Although the calories in nuts come mainly from fat, the type of fat is largely of the unsaturated healthful variety. The article cited a study done at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center showing that walnuts eaten at breakfast made subjects feel more full before lunch, potentially reducing caloric consumption. Other health benefits include favorable effects on blood cholesterol, blood pressure, and inflammatory factors. Studies on large populations have linked high nut consumption with lower heart disease rates. Nuts also contain little or no carbohydrate so they do not cause spikes in blood sugar and may even blunt blood sugar spikes caused by carbohydrates eaten along with the nuts. Peanuts, almonds, and pistacios have the highest protein content, while brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, and walnuts have intermediate protein content, and pecans and macadamias have the lowest protein content. Walnuts have the additional benefit of being high in omega-3 fatty acids, which are widely considered the most healthful kind.

Is Resisted Sprint Training Effective?

2010-12-22T13:27:00.001-05:00

Coaches in sports requiring high acceleration and all-out sprint speed have increasingly endorsed sprint training resisted by a variety of means including weighted vests, towed weighted sleds, long elastic cords, or straps for towing another individual. Yet there have been few studies examining the effectiveness of such training. A recent study by Clark et al. in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research evaluated the effectiveness of two types of resisted sprint training.

Experimental Procedure
There were 3 groups of collegiate lacrosse players that trained twice a week for 7 weeks as follows:

Weighted Sled: 7 of the subjects trained while towing 10% of their bodyweight in a sled
Weighted Vest: 6 of the subjects wore vests containing 18.5% of their bodyweight
Unresisted: 7 of the subjects did not use any resistance device during their training

For all groups, each training session consisted of 7-10 sprint intervals of 20-60 yards (18.3-54.9 m) separated by rest intervals of 3-4 minutes. Both before and after training, all subjects were tested as to their sprint-speed over 40 yards (36.6 m) after a 20-yard (18.3 m) running start.

Results
For the subjects as a whole, there was significant reduction (-1.1%) in the time taken to sprint 40-yards. However, there was no significant difference in improvement between any of the training groups. However, the percentage of improvement of the unresisted training group (-2.0%) was greater than for the weighted sled group (-0.1%) or the weighted vest group (-1.2%).

Bottom Line
The fact that the number of subjects in each group was relatively low made it difficult to obtain statistically significant differences in improvement between groups. However, it does appear that the resisted training was no more effective than unresisted training for improving 40-yard sprint speed following a running start. Because the timed portion of the sprints followed a running start in this study, the results do not address the effectiveness of resisted sprint training for improving the initial acceleration phase of a sprint.

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Top Safety Picks for 2010

2010-12-22T09:57:00.000-05:00

LARGE CARS

Buick LaCrosse

Buick Regal

BMW 5 series
(except 4-wheel drive and V8)

Cadillac CTS sedan

Ford Taurus

Hyundai Genesis

Infiniti M37/M56
(except M56x 4-wheel drive)

Lincoln MKS

Mercedes E class coupe

Mercedes E class sedan

Toyota Avalon

Volvo S80

SMALL CARS

Chevrolet Cruze

Honda Civic
4-door models (except Si)
with optional ESC

Kia Forte sedan

Kia Soul

Mitsubishi Lancer sedan
(except 4-wheel drive)

Nissan Cube

Scion tC

Scion xB

Subaru Impreza
(except WRX):
sedan | wagon

Toyota Corolla

Volkswagen Golf
4-door models

Volkswagen GTI
4-door models

MINICARS

Ford Fiesta
built after July 2010:
sedan | hatchback

MIDSIZE CARS

Audi A3

Audi A4 sedan

Chevrolet Malibu

Chrysler 200
4-door models

Volkswagen Jetta sedan

Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen

MINIVAN

LARGE SUV

MIDSIZE SUVs

Kia Sorento
built after March 2010

SMALL SUVs

Jeep Patriot
with optional side torso airbags

Kia Sportage

Subaru Forester

Volkswagen Tiguan

Are There Hidden Causes of the Overweight Epidemic?

2010-12-21T14:01:00.001-05:00

In the December 20, 2010 issue of Newsweek magazine, Sharon Begley, the magazine’s science columnist, wrote that there are some little-known factors that may contribute to the continued increase in the prevalence of overweight and obesity. Her main argument is that it must be more than a matter of exercising more and eating better because, among animals that have contact with human beings, such as pets, lab animals and rodent pests, 23 of the 24 species studied since 1940 have shown significant increases in the percentages of overweight and obese animals, a statistic that could have occurred by chance only once in 8 million. Yet changes in diet and exercise don’t appear to be the reason, as these factors haven’t changed much for these animals over the years.

Begley cites some possible reasons other than diet and exercise for the weight gain of animals and, by extension, us:

The type of bacteria in our gut - more efficient bacteria wring more calories out of our food than do less efficient bacteria. In this case, efficiency is not our friend.
Lack of sleep, which increases the appetite-stimulating hormone ghrelin, and decreases the hormone leptin that suppresses our appetite when we’ve eaten enough.
Environmental chemicals such as BPA that stimulate fat-cell production.
Home heating, which lessens the need for the body’s calorie-consuming heat production.
Home air conditioning, which lessens the appetite-suppressing effect of environmental heat.
Infection with adenovirus-36, which causes obesity in lab animals and is correlated with obesity in humans.

In addition, I feel that there may be another contributor to obesity:

The lack of internal parasites due to modern sanitary practices. If parasites eat some of our food, less of it can be packed on as fat. If they partake of our bodies, then energy must be consumed for repair. This assumes the kind of parasites that are relatively harmless other than consuming some of our food or body tissue.

Bottom Line
There is no doubt that our health benefits from exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet without excess calories. However, we must continue to look for other contributing factors in order to effectively deal with and counteract the continued rise in overweight and obesity that threatens to undermine the gains we’ve made in improving our health and increasing our lifespan.

For Pure Flexibility, Static Stretching Beats Dynamic Stretching

2010-12-10T13:29:00.001-05:00

This blog contains several articles that have shown that static stretching impairs physical performance in jumping, running, and team sports, when the stretching is done immediately prior to the effort. Dynamic stretching has not been shown to cause a similar impairment and may even enhance performance. Yet, this finding does not mean that dynamic stretching is superior to static stretching for all purposes. Indeed, a study published by Covert et al. in the Journal of strength and Conditioning Research (vol. 24, no. 11, pp. 3008-3014, 2010) indicates that static stretching is better for improving pure flexibility.

Study Procedures
Over a 4-week period, 16 men and 16 women, aged 20-27 were randomly divided into the following 3 groups:
Static Stretching: Held a stretched position of the hamstring muscles for 30 seconds 3 times a week
Dynamic Stretching: Got into a stretched position of the hamstring muscles then performed small bounces into and out of that position at a rate of 1 per second for 30 seconds, 3 times a week
Control: Did not stretch
Hamstring flexibility was measured as the number of degrees short of 180 degrees that the knee could be extended to while the subject lay on a table with the thigh in a vertical position. Thus, a smaller number of degrees indicated better flexibility.

Results
The differences between changes in hamstring flexibility among all three groups were statistically significant
The control group declined by a mean of 3.3 degrees in hamstring flexibility
The static stretching group improved a mean of 11.9 degrees in hamstring flexibility
The dynamic stretching group improved a mean of 3.8 degrees in hamstring flexibility

Bottom Line
Either form of stretching improves flexibility. However, static stretching improves flexibility significantly more than does dynamic stretching. For sports in which flexibility in not very important, dynamic stretching is best. However, for sports which require a lot of flexibility (e.g. gymnastics, wrestling, high-hurdles) some static stretching is advisable. But because static stretching impairs performance when done immediately prior to the sport activity, it is best to do such stretching immediately following a training session, when the muscles are well warmed up. The impairment in performance caused by static stretching has not been found to carry over to the following day, so post-exercise static stretching should not impair a subsequent day's performance.

How Safe are Whole-Body Airport Scans?

2010-12-10T11:48:00.001-05:00

In it’s December 13, 2010 issue, Newsweek published a chart comparing the radiation a person receives from the new full-body x-ray scanners in airports to other sources of radiation. The radiation levels are listed below:

Airport whole-body scan                            0.01 MREM
x-ray of extremity                                     0.10 MREM
Dental x-ray                                             0.50 MREM
Cosmic radiation, sea level                      24.00 MREM/year
Terrestrial radioactivity                           28.00 MREM/year
Mammogram                                          40.00 MREM
Cosmic radiation, Denver                         50.00 MREM/year
Radon in average home                         200.00 MREM/year
CT scan of abdomen and pelvis           1,500.00 MREM
Level causing radiation sickness      100,000.00 MREM

If the results are to be believed, and Newsweek usually carefully checks its sources, then the airport whole-body scans appear to be low-risk. That is not to say that they are without risk, because any radiation may bring some risk with it. Also, the comparison to environmental radiation exposure per year can be misleading because, when you go through a scanner, you receive the full dose of radiation in a few seconds, and the rate of exposure could be a factor in causing undesirable changes to body cells. For example, the sea-level cosmic radiation exposure per year translates to only 0.0000007 MREM per second. Nevertheless, the exposure from an airport scanner appears far less than that from a dental x-ray, which most of us accept as part of our health maintenance. An additional factor is that the genitals, which are particularly vulnerable to radiation, are usually shielded when health-related x-rays are taken. Since the “underwear bomber” prompted the scans in the first place, the genitals can not be shielded in such scans. At this point, the scans appear safe, but each individual must decide whether or not a body pat-down is preferable to a scan.

Men's Health Fit?

2010-12-08T12:54:00.001-05:00

There was an article in Men’s Health Magazine’s November 2010 issue entitled, “Are You Men’s Health Fit?”. The article highlighted four elite athletes from different sports and presented seven physical fitness tests, stating that, if you can achieve the highest level on each test, you are “Men’s Health Fit“. Below are the tests along with the Men’s Health standards and my comments.

1. Test - Timed Plank:
The body, face down, is held in a straight line with the toes and forearms on the ground.

Below average: Plank with elbows directly below shoulder’s held for less than one minute
Average: Plank with elbows directly below shoulder’s held for one minute
Above average: Plank as above but with feet on a bench (of unstated height) held for one minute.
Men’s Health Fit: Plank with feet on floor and elbows below eyes held for one minute.

2. Squat while holding a wooden stick overhead with hands spaced 1.5 times shoulder width:

Below average: You can’t bend your knees to 90 degrees without leaning forward
Average: You can only bend your knees past 90 degrees if your heels come off the floor
Above average: You can do a full squat while keeping your heels on the floor and not leaning forward
Men’s Health Fit: You can do the above while holding a 45-lb bar instead of the stick.

My Comments:
This is a test of flexibility of the calf muscles, shoulder, and back rather than a physical fitness test. It’s hard to see how the ability to do this would relate to sports performance or any physical challenge other than Olympic weightlifting, which requires this specific kind of flexibility.

3. Barbell dead lift:

Below average: less than bodyweight
Average: 1-1.25 times bodyweight
Above average: 1.25-1.5 times bodyweight
Men’s Health fit: more than 1.5 times bodyweight

My Comments:
To define levels in terms of proportion of bodyweight lifted is naïve because, for physiological and biomechanical reasons, smaller people can lift more in proportion to their bodyweight. The following standards from exrx.net show how body size affects standards:

                                     Deadlift as Proportion of Bodyweight
Bodyweight (lb)    untrained     novice    intermediate   advanced   elite
        148                 .85             1.58           1.82           2.57       3.26
        181                 .82             1.51           1.74           2.42       3.03
        220                 .75             1.39           1.60           2.18       2.66

Based on the table, the standards given by Men’s Health are low for anyone who trains with the deadlift exercise.

4. Standing broad jump:

Below average: less than 6 feet
Average: 6-7 feet
Above average: 7-8 feet
Men’s Health fit: more than 8 feet

My Comments:
There are few published adult norms for the standing long jump. However, a study by Santilla et al. in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise (vol. 38, no. 11, pp. 1990-1994, 2006) presents the following as military standards in Finland.

Poor: less than 6’7” (2.0 meters)
Satisfactory: 6’7” (2.0 meters)
Good: 7’3” (2.2. Meters)
Excellent: 7’ 11” (2.4 meters)

The “Men’s Health Fit” standard seems a reasonable approximation of “excellent“. However, the “below average” standard should be higher and the lower limit of the “average” range should be higher. One problem is that jumping ability is largely related to the percentage of fast-twitch fibers in one’s leg and hip muscles, which is determined mainly by heredity. Thus, only a limited degree of improvement can be expected from training.

5. Pushups:

Below average: less than 15
Average: 16-29
Above average: 30-44
Men’s Health fit: 45 or more

My Comments:
The magazine’s pushup standards are quite low. The following standards for males aged 20-29 were published by the American College of Sports Medicine (see our website for the full table):

25th percentile: 24
50th percentile: 33
75th percentile: 44
90th percentile: 57

The Army standards (age 22-26) are even tougher because soldiers know they will be tested every 6 months and many of them train for the test:

60 points (just passing): 40
75 points: (average): 53
90 points (excellent): 66

6. Chinups (undergrip) pausing 1 sec at top:

Below average: less than 3
Average: 3-7
Above average: 8-10
Men’s Health fit: more than 10

The Marine Corps scores the pullup segment of its physical fitness test for men aged 17-26 as follows:

3rd class (passing): 9
2nd class (good): 12
1st class (excellent): 15

The Men’s Health standards are low in comparison to the Marine Corps standards. Of course, Marines are tested regularly for the number of pullups they can do, so they train at the exercise.

7. Mile Run:

Below average: 12 or more minutes
Average: 9-12 minutes
Above average: 6-9 minutes
Men’s Health fit: under 6 minutes

My Comments:
Adult norms for the 1-mile run are not readily available. However, the following 1.5 mile run standards for males aged 20-29 were published by the American College of Sports Medicine (see our website for full table):

25th percentile: 13:53 (9:15 mile pace)
50th percentile: 12:18 (8:12 mile pace)
75th percentile: 10:42 (7:08 mile pace)
90th percentile: 9:09 (6:06 mile pace)

The Army standards (age 22-26) are even tougher at the low end because soldiers know they will be tested every 6 months and most of them train for the test:

60 points (just passing): 16:36 (8:18 mile pace)
75 points: (average): 15:15 (7:38 mile pace)
90 points (excellent): 13:54 (6:57 mile pace)

Since these standards are for the 1.5 and 2.0 mile run, the same populations would run the mile run at an even faster pace. While the pace needed to be “Men’s Health Fit” would be considered excellent by either standard, the magazine’s standards for average and above average are far too slow.

Conclusions:
It’s difficult to ascertain how Men’s Health Magazine decided which tests were important and where it got its standards, many of which seem arbitrary. They’re low for the deadlift, pushups, and chinups, and low for the lower fitness levels in the standing broad jump and mile run. Since there are no references for the standards in the article, one might think that they were developed by group consensus among the magazine’s staff members.

One factor that the article ignores is that there are different types of athletes who, because of their body types and natural talents, excel at different sports. Elite athletes are very specialized creatures. Strength and power athletes do not generally do very well on tests of whole-body endurance while endurance athletes often do poorly on strength and power tests. Thus, it is likely that the four athletes highlighted in the article would excel at some tests and do poorly on others. It is misleading to imply that one has to do well on all types of fitness tests to be a good athlete.

By calling the highest level on each test the “Men’s Health Fit” standard, the magazine seems to be sending the message that it has very tough standards, even leading one to surmise that the magazine’s staff members are all super-fit. It would be very interesting to see how its staff would do on the tests. It would be surprising if any of them could score “Men’s Health Fit” on all the tests.

Estimating the Caloric Cost of Running or Walking

2010-11-18T14:10:00.001-05:00

A recently published article by Loftin et al. in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (vol. 24, no. 10, pp. 2794-2798, 2010) measured the caloric consumption per mile of 19 normal-weight walkers, 11 overweight walkers, and 20 marathon runners. The subjects were about evenly divided among males and females.

Results

Caloric consumption was more related to lean body mass than to total body mass
Men burned more calories per mile than women
Men and women did not differ in calories consumed per mile per unit body mass
In terms of calories per mile per unit body mass, marathon runners burned significantly more than normal-weight walkers who burned significantly more than overweight walkers

The following equation was developed from the experimental data to predict an individual’s caloric consumption per mile:

Men weighed in kilograms:

Calories per mile = (0.789 x kg body mass) + 43.5

Men weighed in pounds:
Calories per mile = (0.3586 x lb body mass) + 43.5

Women weighed in kilograms:

Calories per mile = (0.789 x kg body mass) + 35.8

Women weighed in pounds:
Calories per mile = (0.3586 x lb body mass) + 35.8

Bottom Line

The equation can be useful for those interested in estimating the caloric cost of their walking or running workout.

The Drawback of Exercising on Unstable Surfaces

2010-11-18T12:54:00.002-05:00

Stability training, mainly in the form of lifting weights while standing on unstable surfaces, became somewhat popular with the advent of the Bosu Ball, which is a hemispheric ball about 2+ feet across mounted on a flat plastic base. The idea is that the instability of the surface brings muscles into play that are required for maintaining stability; muscles that would be minimally involved when exercising on a stable surface.

A study by Chulvi-Dedrano et al. in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (vol. 24, no. 10, pp. 2723-2730, 2010) tested force production and muscle electrical activity during deadlifts on a stable surface and on two different unstable surfaces.

Method
31 young adult subjects did the following:

Isometric deadlift in which the lifter pulled upward maximally for 5 seconds against an immovable bar
Dynamic deadlift in which a barbell weighing 70% of the individual’s maximal isometric deadlift was lifted for 5 repetitions

Lifting force was measured during the isometric efforts. Muscle electrical activity of the lower back muscles (paraspinals) was measured during both the isometric and dynamic lifts to indicate how hard the muscles were working. Both of the lifts were done on the following 3 surfaces:

Stable floor
Bosu Ball
T-Bow (a curved board that can rock laterally as one stands on it)

Results

In the isometric deadlift, both the force produced and the muscle electrical activity were significantly higher on the stable surface than on either unstable surface.
In the dynamic deadlift, muscle electrical activity was significantly higher on the stable surface than on either unstable surface

Bottom Line
This study backs up other ones that have shown that exercising on unstable surfaces does not provide as much stimulus as stable-surface training to the main muscles (prime movers) used to effect the exercise movement. It has previously been shown that more weight can be handled when lifting on stable than unstable surfaces, providing greater stimulus to the muscles. In view of these factors, training on unstable surfaces is not best for increasing the size or strength of the major muscles. However, since such training does bring stability muscles into play, it can be effectively used as a supplement to training on stable surfaces, especially for athletes who engage in sports in which maintaining stability is of major importance (e.g. hockey, figure skating, snow-boarding, gymnastics). The major part of the resistance workout should still be on stable surfaces.

Minimalist or “Barefoot” Running Shoes

2010-11-02T14:31:00.002-04:00

For decades, running shoes were rated by Runner’s World magazine and other organizations largely on their ability to absorb shock. As a result, manufactures made heels and soles increasingly thick to rank highly in the ratings. This led to shoes that were quite bulky and thickly padded. In a countermovement to this trend, and inspired by a track coach who included barefoot running is his training programs, Nike came out with the first of the modern minimalist shoes, the Free, in 2004. This lightly-padded shoe was only intended for occasional use, not full weekly mileage.

Proponents of minimalist running shoes say that, because of their light cushioning, people running in them alter their gait to lessen shock. Such changes include landing on the midfoot or forefoot rather than the heel, shortening the stride, increasing stride frequency, and lowering peak impact force. This is claimed to reduce this risk of tibial stress fracture, plantar fasciitis, and other overuse injuries, and to strengthen the feet. Biomechanical testing has verified that Africans who grow up running barefoot strike the ground with only a third of the impact experienced by U.S. runners in shoes. Lightweight shoes also lower the energy cost of running, so a runner can go at a faster pace at the same level of exertion, which translates into faster race times. However, running experts have cautioned that any switch from heavily cushioned standard running shoes to minimalist shoes must be gradual in order to allow the muscles, bones, and tendons of the foot and leg to adapt.

The minimalist running shoe movement accelerated significantly with the publication of the 2009 book, “Born to Run,” which revealed that the Tarahumara Indians of northern Mexico get fewer injuries than U.S. runners even though they wear very thin rubber sandals and run extremely long distances. Manufacturers other than Nike came up with their own versions of minimalist shoes. Vibram, an Italian company, introduced its Five Fingers model, in which each toe is individually gloved. It weighs a scant 5.7 oz and has a heel thickness of only 7.2 mm (compared with up to 38 mm on heavily padded “cushion” or “motion control” shoes). This model is now the leader of the minimalist shoe market.

Other running shoe companies have jumped on the minimalist bandwagon. Saucony came out with its Kinvara model, which has somewhat more protection than the free and is intended for regular, rather than occasional, use. New Balance will debut its Minimus in February, which the company says will give a free-foot feel but still have cushioning in key spots. Merrel will put out its Barefoot Collection in February with a sole from Vibram and a very light upper. Also in February, Nike will supplement it Free line with its Lunar Eclipse lightweight stability trainer. Addidas will introduce a light, fast, everyday shoe in the Fall of 2011. Other companies that do not plan to introduce minimalist shoes have been making their existing models lighter and more flexible. Yet there is concern within some shoe companies that runners may switch to minimalist shoes too rapidly and subject themselves to injury.

An important factor in how long it takes to adapt to a minimalist shoe is the difference in thickness between the forefoot and heel padding. It can range from zero for a shoe with no difference between the thickness of heel and forefoot padding, to a 12 mm greater thickness of heel than forefoot padding. If one has been accustomed to running in a heavily padded shoe with a large difference between the padding thickness of heel and forefoot, the adaptation time to a minimalist shoe should be considerable.

As of now, there have been no published articles comparing the injury rate of runners wearing minimalist shoes vs. those training in standard shoes. However, many of the runners who have switched to minimalist shoes swear by them. Yet few market watchers expect such shoes to ever capture a major share of the running shoe market. Currently, no more than 10% of running shoes sold could be called minimalist.

Bottom Line
While few studies have been done on minimalist shoes, evidence suggests that such shoes do alter running gait so as to reduce the degree of foot-strike impact and also allow the foot to flex in a natural manner while in contact with the ground. However, since most Americans have grown up walking, running, and playing sports in supportive shoes with heels more thickly padded than forefeet, the adaptation to relatively flat and lightly padded shoes can be difficult and potentially injurious. Additionally, such shoes offer little protection against foot injury that can occur when stepping on a rock, tack, or other object. Those who are willing to accept the risk of trying such shoes should do so with caution and increase the weekly mileage they run in them very gradually. It remains to be seen whether the benefits of minimalist shoes outweigh their risks.

Dynamic Stretching Beats Static Stretching for Team Sports

2010-10-29T11:41:00.000-04:00

Introduction
Static stretching involves attaining a stretch to the point of mild discomfort and holding the position for at least 10 seconds. Dynamic stretching involves rapid repeated alternation between a stretched and a relaxed position.

A recent article by Amiri-Khorasani et al. in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (vol. 24, no. 10, pp. 2698-2704, 2010) showed that static stretching detracts from performance on a physical agility test, while dynamic stretching tends to improve it.

Method
Nineteen professional soccer players were divided into more-experienced and less-experienced subgroups. Their performance on an agility test, which involved 14-15 seconds of changing direction and zigzagging as fast as possible around a number of cones, was tested after each of the following:

No stretching
Static stretching
Dynamic stretching
Combined static and dynamic stretching

Results

The subjects were 4-5% slower after static and combined static/dynamic stretching than they were with either no stretching or dynamic stretching alone.
Among the less-experienced players, dynamic stretching resulted in about 3% faster course times than no stretching.
Among the more experienced players, there was no difference between the course times after dynamic stretching and no stretching.

Bottom Line
The evidence indicates that dynamic stretching is superior to static stretching for the kind of agility needed for most team sports. This is probably due to a reduction after static stretching in the spring-like stiffness of muscle. The results support those of other studies that have shown a detrimental effect of static stretching on strength, jumping ability and sprint speed. It is not clear why the experienced players in this study showed no advantage of dynamic stretching over no stretching at all. However, since these were professional soccer players, it seems safe to conclude that the effects on amateur athletes would parallel those on the less experienced professional players. Thus, their performance would likely be enhanced by dynamic stretching.

Plyometric Training for Improved Sports Performance

2010-10-26T12:29:00.000-04:00

Plyometric training has been popular among strength and physical conditioning coaches for a number of years. Yet many people who exercise on their own are not familiar with this method. Simply put, plyometric exercise involved rapid stretch and shortening of a muscle. This occurs in such movements as hopping, jumping, and bouncing. For example, when you jump vertically, you naturally first do a countermovement in which you bend your knees quickly while stretching your quadriceps (front thigh) muscles, then rapidly contract those muscles to straighten the knees and propel the body upwards. Thus, repeated vertical jumps are one kind of plyometric exercise.

There are various gradations of plyometric exercise, and it is considered prudent to start with low-stress ones before progressing to more difficult ones. One of the most stressful plyometric exercises is depth-jumping, in which one jumps down from a box and, after contacting the ground, immediately jumps vertically. This is considered dangerous for anyone who does not already have a strong lower body and has not progressed from low-stress, through moderate-stress, to high-stress plyometric exercise. Various sources have recommended being able to squat with 1.5 times one’s bodyweight before taking on a serious plyometric exercise program. However, it is generally considered safe for people in good health without orthopedic problems to perform low-stress plyometric exercises like low bounces, hops, and jumps.

A recent study by Chelly et al. in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (Vol 24, no. 10, pp. 2670-2676, 2010), showed how effective plyometric training can be.

Method
A group of experienced young male soccer players, average age 19 years, trained as follows:

August - preseason training consisting of light resistance exercise and calisthenics
September through March (the competitive season) - The players trained 5 days per week for 90 minutes by doing skill and tactical drills along with 30 minutes of continuous play. On one day per week they engaged in a competitive soccer game against another team.

The subjects were divided into 2 groups:

Group 1 only did the training program above.
Group 2 did the training program above plus from January-March they also did the following plyometric training twice per week:

Week 1: 5 sets of jumping over ten 40-cm (24“) hurdles spaced 1 meter (39.4”) apart
Week 2: 7 sets of jumping over ten 40-cm (24“) hurdles spaced 1 meter (39.4”) apart
Week 3: 10 sets of jumping over ten 40-cm (24“) hurdles spaced 1 meter (39.4”) apart
Week 4: 5 sets of jumping over ten 60-cm (36“) hurdles spaced 1 meter (39.4”) apart
Week 5: 4 sets of depth-jumps from a 40-cm (24“) box
Week 6: 4 sets of depth-jumps from a 40-cm (24“) box
Week 7: 4 sets of depth-jumps from a 40-cm (24“) box
Week 8: 4 sets of depth-jumps from a 40-cm (24“) box

Extensive testing on speed, power, and jump height was performed before and after the training.

Results

The group that did regular soccer training did not show significant improvement in any of the pre-post tests.

The group that did plyometric training in addition to their regular soccer training showed the following statistically significant improvements:

Thigh muscle volume: +2.5%
Cycle ergometer absolute power: +4.5%
Cycle ergometer power relative to body mass: +5.9%
Jump height without a countermovement: +8.3%
Jump height with a countermovement: +2.5%
40-meter sprint first step velocity: +18.2%
40-meter sprint velocity over first 5 meters: +10.0%
40-meter sprint velocity between 35 and 40 meters: +9.8%

Bottom Line
Although not all studies of plyometric training have produced improvements of this magnitude, it appears that the evidence supports inclusion of plyometric exercise in physical training programs for sports involving sprinting and/or jumping.

NOTE: This description of experimental results is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a recommendation. Anyone engaging in an exercise program should obtain proper medical authorization before doing so.

A Method for Improving Explosive Physical Performance

2010-10-18T13:34:00.001-04:00

Introduction

Post-activation potentiation (PAP) is not a training method. Rather, it is a method for improving performance in an explosive activity (e.g. jumping, sprinting) by doing heavy exercise with relevant muscles (e.g. squats) shortly before the performance. Several studies using either weight-resisted or isometric exercise have shown a positive effect on performance. One such study, by Berning et al. is described in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (vol. 24, no. 9, 2010, pp. 2285-2289).

Methods

Subjects:

Group 1 - Thirteen trained young men who had been squatting at least twice a week for at least one year.
Group 2 - Eight untrained young men

The subjects in both groups were first tested for the maximum amount of weight they could parallel squat for a single repetition. That involved squatting down with a barbell on the shoulders from a standing position until the thighs were parallel to the ground, then standing up again. On other days, each group did the following:

On one day they did 5 minutes of low intensity cycling followed by maximal vertical jump testing.
On another day they did 5 minutes of low intensity cycling, then a functional isometric squat followed by maximal vertical jump testing. For the functional isometric squat, a barbell containing 1.5 times the subjects’ maximal weight for the parallel squat was placed on supporting rods in a squat rack. A second set of rods was positioned about 4” higher than the first set. The lifter got under the bar so that it rested on his shoulders then drove the bar vertically against the upper set of rods as hard as possible for 3 seconds before placing the bar back to the lower set of rods. The positioning of the rods was such that the subject lifted from a half-squat position. The subjects could lift much more weight than they could in a full squat because of the more advantageous leverage in the half-squat than the full-squat.

Results

Among the untrained men, the functional isometric squat performed before the jump test did not provide any advantage.
Among the trained men, the functional isometric squat performed before the jump test led to significantly higher jump height, and the effect was retained when they were again tested 5 minutes after the lift. The magnitude of improvement in jumping was about 5% (2.4 cm ~ 1”).

Bottom Line

Post-activation potentiation (PAP) is a phenomenon with a fair degree of experimental support. It can be applied to any athletic activity in which a maximal explosive effort can be conveniently preceded by a heavy squat with a barbell, or even an isometric squat against an immovable object. Such athletic activities include but are not limited to high-jump, long-jump, track sprint, Olympic weightlifting, and Highland Games contests. It remains to be seen if the method can be applied to other athletic activities such as baseball hitting, football kicking, or wrestling. The method does not appear applicable to sports involving exertion over a relatively long period of time such as soccer, basketball, or hockey.

NOTE: This description of experimental results is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a recommendation. Heavy barbell squats should only be performed by experienced lifters. The supportive muscles, tendons, and ligaments involved must be developed using a consistent training program over an extended period of time. Anyone wishing to engage in strenuous physical activity must first determine if it is safe to do so. A physician’s clearance is always the best means of determining if you are healthy enough to exercise. Our exercise risk factor questionnaire can help you estimate your risk.

You May Not Be Getting Enough of These Nutrients

2010-09-22T13:34:00.001-04:00

An article in the September 2010 issue of the Nutrition Action Health Letter contains a cover story entitled, “Getting Enough? What you don‘t eat can hurt you.” The article states that many of us are not getting enough potassium, magnesium, Vitamin D, or Vitamin B-12, with possible negative health consequences.

Potassium

A third of Americans have high blood pressure, which increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. Over age 65, two-thirds of us have high blood pressure. More than half of those afflicted don’t have it under control.
Potassium can help regulate blood pressure. Major studies have shown that people with higher potassium intake have lower blood pressure.
A low potassium level is a predictor of stroke. A study of 43,000 subjects showed that those consuming the most potassium had 38 percent fewer strokes that those who consumed the least. The beneficial effect of potassium is the greatest for those who consume the most sodium. It is thought to work by increasing the flexibility of arteries and widening the tiny blood vessels.
While blood pressure typically rises as one gets older, 4 weeks on a low sodium, high potassium diet can totally reverse the effect of age on blood pressure. The DASH Diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), which minimizes added salt and includes 11 daily servings of fruit and vegetables as well as 2 servings of low-fat dairy products and low quantities of saturated fats, refined sugar, and refined grains, provides plentiful potassium while keep sodium down to recommended levels.
Potassium citrate is the form of potassium found in fruits and vegetables and it is considered more effective for blood-pressure reduction and safer than potassium supplements (usually potassium chloride), which can cause heart problems if taken in excess. Potassium citrate also reduces the risk of kidney stones by 50% and may help prevent bone loss.

Vitamin D

This nutrient seems more important than calcium for protecting bones and preventing osteoporosis, a bone-thinning disease that causes bone fractures in 25% of men and 50% of women over age 50.
Among Navy recruits, supplementation of 2,000 mg of calcium along with 800 IU of vitamin D per day reduced stress fractures by 20%.
Evidence suggests that Vitamin-D also protects against colon cancer, heart atacks, stroke, diabetes, falls, autoimmune disease, and all-cause mortality.
The article recommends taking a Vitamin-D supplement, as it is difficult to get the recommended amount from food. The recommended dosage is 400 IU per day for people under 60 and 800-1000 IU per day for people over 60.
Recommended calcium intake is 1000 mg/day for people under 50, and 1200 mg/day for people over 50.

Magnesium

Many Americans have Type II diabetes, including 25% of people over 60.
Diabetes greatly increases the risk of stroke, heart disease, blindness, kidney failure, nervous system damage, and limb amputations.
While excess body fat, lack of exercise, and poor eating habits are the major risk factors for Type II diabetes, a lack of magnesium can be a contributing factor. Large studies have shown that high magnesium intake is associated with reduced incidence of diabetes.
Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and beans are plentiful in magnesium.

Vitamin B-12

Low levels of Vitamin B-12 are associated with poorer memory and mental ability. Yet the ability to absorb this vitamin from food decreases as we age.
A low Vitamin B-12 level in combination with a high levels of folic acid is strongly associated with cognitive impairment.
The article recommends taking a multivitamin containing at least 6 micrograms of Vitamin B-12 or a B-12 supplement containing up to 100 micrograms of B-12, and being careful not to get too much folic acid from vitamins and fortified cereals.

Static Stretching Can Impair Distance Running Performance

2010-09-20T14:07:00.001-04:00

At times it can be difficult to find sports science articles that have true relevance to athletes. But here's one that can have real impact. A study by Wilson et al. (Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, vol 24, no. 9, pp. 2274-2279, 2010) provides strong evidence that static stretching before a distance-running event can impair performance among young, male athletes.

Static stretching involves stretching a muscle to the point of mild discomfort and holding the stretch for 10-30 seconds. We have previously highlighted previous evidence that static stretching can impair jumping performance. It has also been shown to reduce maximal leg-press strength, 20-meter sprint speed, and knee-extension torque. Yet this is the first study to examine the effect of static stretching on endurance performance.

Experimental Procedure
10 male collegiate competitive distance-runners and triathletes who ran at least 20 miles per week and were in excellent aerobic condition were tested on 2 different days, at least a week apart, after the following:

16 minutes of stretching consisting of the following 5 stretches each performed 4 times for 30 seconds of holding:: 1) sit on floor with knees straight and reach with both hands to and beyond the toes, 2) stand with balls of feet on a block, letting bodyweight stretch calves, 3) for both left and right, stand on 1 leg and pull the opposite heel toward the butt 4) for both left and right, lunge deeply, and 5) cross the left leg over the right one, and pull the right thigh towards the torso, repeating for other side
Quiet Sitting

After stretching or not stretching, the subjects underwent the following treadmill tests:

Run at 65% of maximal aerobic capacity (VO2max) for 30 minutes while energy-cost is measured.
After 2 minutes of rest and rehydration, run as far as possible in 30 minutes (subjects could control treadmill speed and see a time display, but not see a speed or distance display).

Experimental Results
On the no-strech day, the athletes performed significantly better as follows:

They covered an average of 6.0 km in 30 minutes on the no-stretch day compared to 5.8 km on the stretch day
They required an average of 425 calories on the stretch day vs. 405 calories on the no-stretch day to do the 30-minute submaximal run.

Bottom Line
Static stretching before running hurt the athletes' distance-running performance. After stretching they required more energy to run the same speed in the submaximal test, while in the maximal-distance 30-minute test they were not able to run as far. These differences can easily affect the chance of winning a race. The negative effect of static stretching appears to be due to a reduction in the spring-like stiffness of the leg muscles resulting in lower efficiency. Thus, it does not appear advisable to do static stretching before distance-running events. While dynamic stretching has not been subject to similar testing, it is a possible alternative. The evidence suggests that the best warmup before a distance-running event may be walking followed by jogging followed by short-distance runs at speeds increasing to race-pace.

Heart Attack Deaths in the U.S. Have Dropped Sharply

2010-08-30T12:40:00.001-04:00

In the Harvard Health Letter, vol 35, no. 10, August 2010, and article appeared entitled, "Is the heart attack going out of style?". It stated that, based on Medicare data, the U.S. heart-attack hospitalization rate declined by 23% from 2002 to 2007. Also, a study based on 3 million members of a northern California health plan showed a 24% drop in heart attack hospitalizations between 1999 and 2008. While an increasing number of people are diagnosed with heart disease, fewer are dying from it - heart attack deaths have been declining in the U.S. for the past 40 years.

The article conjectures that, "Maybe decades of efforts to eat right and exercise more, stop smoking, lower LDL cholesterol levels, and control blood pressure are working." This appears only partially true. Yes, fewer Americans smoke, and Lipitor, a medication for reducing LDL and total cholesterol, is the most prescribed drug in the U.S. Many people are also taking blood pressure medication. Yet, there is little evidence that people are "eating right" as fast-food consumption and obesity continue to increase. Also, various national campaigns, such as the American College of Sports Medicine's Healthy People 2000, have failed dismally to get people to exercise more. Thus, it appears that the reduction in heart attacks is less due to anything that requires will power than to modern medicine. Another possible factor is reduced stress, as the economy was doing well over the study period. It remains to be seen what the recession and high unemployment rate will do to the heart attack rate. Hopefully, and emphasis on family and personal fulfillment and relationships will help keep stress to a minimum, even in the face of economic difficulties.

The reduction in heart attacks is encouraging, yet it would be even better if people became healthier through lifestyle changes such as exercise and good nutrition.

Mixed-Intensity Interval Training vs. Steady-Speed Running

2010-08-04T13:39:00.001-04:00

Evidence continues to pile up concerning the advantages of interval training. A study by James Clark in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (vol. 24, no. 7, pp. 1773-1781, 2010) compared interval training comprised of runs of varying lengths and intensities to steady-speed running as to which produced greater improvements in maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), the gold standard of aerobic fitness.

Study Procedure
The subjects were 32 female league and college competitive soccer players who were divided into 2 groups that trained as follows for 8 weeks:

1) Mixed-Intensity Interval Training (MIIT): The workout consisted of repetitions of the following 6-minute exercise cycle:

30 sec of jogging
30 sec running at 90-100% of max effort
60 sec of jogging
60 sec running at 80-90% of max effort
90 sec of jogging
90 sec running at 70-80% of max effort

The subjects did 2 cycles (12 min) the first week and increased to 6 cycles (36 min) by the eighth week.

2) Steady-Speed Training (SST): They ran steadily at a "moderate to hard" pace (heart rate corresponding to 60-80% of that at maximal oxygen uptake). Run time was 40 minutes the first week and increased to 60 minutes by the eighth week.

Results
The mixed-intensity interval training group improved in maximal oxygen uptake by over 25% while the steady-speed training group improved less than 17%, a statistically significant difference.

Bottom Line
The mixed-intensity interval training improved aerobic fitness more than did steady-speed running, and required less time per workout. In addition, while it was not tested, it is likely that the sprinting segments of the interval training produced more improvement in sprinting ability, which is essential for soccer and other sports requiring bursts of speed. Thus, it appears that mixed-intensity interval training is advantageous for athletes in various team sports. Steady-speed running is still important for distance runners, who generally work out at various intensities during a training week.

NOTE: This description of experimental results is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a recommendation. Anyone engaging in an exercise program should obtain proper medical authorization before doing so.

Grouping Exercises Saves Times While Providing Equal Benefits

2010-07-27T13:58:00.001-04:00

The benefits of the multiple mini-circuit method of performing resistance exercise have been described previously in this blog. It involves doing a set of each of 2-5 exercises in a grouping, then repeating the cycle 3 or more times before going on to the next exercise grouping. The advantages include:

A lot of exercise can be done in a given time period.
Each muscle group has adequate recovery time.
Heart rate remains high, affording some aerobic conditioning.
The body becomes accustomed to intermittent high-intensity exertions, relevant to many sports.

A recent article by Robbins at al. in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (vol. 24, no. 7, pp. 1782-1789, 2010) provides research support for this exercise method.

Study Method
18 physically trained men performed the following two exercises:

Bench Pull - lie face down on a bench and perform a rowing movement to raise a barbell lying under the bench
Bench Throw - Perform an explosive bench press movement throwing the bar upwards, using a specially designed machine that catches the barbell so it does not fall back down on the lifter

On one day they first did 3 sets of bench pulls followed by 3 sets of bench throws for a total of about 20 minutes of exercise. On another day, they alternated sets of bench pull and bench press, accomplishing 3 sets of each, for a total of about 10 minutes of exercise.

Results
Even though the alternating sets took half as much time as performing 3 sets of one exercise followed by 3 sets of the other exercise, the subjects were able to handle as much weight for as many repetitions of each exercise in both types of routines. In addition, measures such as bench press throw height, peak power, peak velocity, and muscle electrical activity were the same for both routines.

Bottom Line
While saving a lot of time, performing exercises in groupings worked the muscles as well as doing all sets of each exercise before going on to the next exercise. Thus, the grouping method enables a full workout to be performed in much less time or allows more work to be done in a given amount of time.

NOTE: Our descriptions of exercise programs are for educational purposes and do not constitute recommendations. Anyone embarking on a physical exercise program must be in good enough health to safely do so. Fitness to exercise can best be determined by a physician's clearance.

Spending More Time Outdoors Benefits Health

2010-07-12T14:30:00.001-04:00

The increased availability of in-home entertainment systems such as TV's, computers, sound systems, and video games along with perceived discomforts and even dangers of spending time outdoors has prompted Americans to spend more time indoors. The U.S. government has estimated that the average American spends 90% of his/her time indoors. But that may be deleterious to our health. A recent article in the Harvard Health Letter (July 2010) details the following benefits of spending more time outdoors:

Your Vitamin D levels will go up - Sunlight hitting your skin begins the process of the body's manufacture of biologically active Vitamin D. Fifteen minutes of sun exposure on bare skin can result in the manufacture of far more Vitamin D than you can get in any supplement pill. An increasing number of studies have shown the association of high Vitamin D levels with various health benefits including protection against osteoporosis, cancer, depression, heart attack and stroke. The northern latitudes get less direct sun exposure than southern latitudes and some forms of cancer are more common in the northern vs. the southern states. As we age, our ability to manufacture Vitamin D from sun exposure drops considerably. People with darker skin also generate less Vitamin D from a given amount of sun exposure. While there is an ongoing controversy about whether sun exposure without sunscreen causes more benefit from Vitamin D production than danger from skin cancer, the Harvard Health Letter recommends some limited daily unprotected sun exposure along with protection against the sun when outdoors for long periods or during the middle of the day in summer.
You will get more exercise - Physical exercise has been shown to have a very wide range of health benefits. People tend to be more sedentary when spending time indoors. When outdoors, people tend to spend more time in physically active pastimes such as walking, biking, gardening, and playing sports. Children are more active outdoors as well. A study using GPS units found that children were more than twice as active when outdoors than indoors.
Your mood will improve - The kind of light you get outdoors tends to elevate mood, and light-therapy has been used to treat people who tend to become depressed during the long winter months. The increased physical activity associated with spending more time outdoors also has a mood-enhancing effect. Exercising in a natural setting has even more positive effect on mood and self-esteem, as a British study has shown.
Your focus may improve - A study has shown that children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder do better on a test of concentration after walking through a park than when walking through residential or downtown neighborhoods.
You may heal faster - A University of Pittsburg study showed that surgical patients experienced less pain and stress and needed less medication when exposed to natural light. Even a window view of a natural setting seemed to promote recovery better than a view of buildings.

It's clear that the evidence in favor of spending more time outdoors is quite solid. So find an outdoor activity you enjoy and get out there.

Can Mental Imagery Improve Physical Strength?

2010-07-02T14:39:00.001-04:00

Mental imagery involves envisioning oneself performing a physical activity without actually doing it. It is currently used by many high-level athletes to enhance their physical performance. While the method is well-accepted for maintaining focus and consistency of technique, its use has recently been examined for improving strength as well.

Study Method
In a study by Lebon, Collet and Guillot in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (vol. 26, no. 6, pp. 1680-1687, 2010) male college athletes who had not been weight training were put on a program of bench-press and leg-press training 3 times per week for 4 weeks. The only difference between the training groups was that the imagery group visualized doing each exercise during the between-set rest periods while the control group performed another thought task.

Results
Both groups improved in strength and the number of repetitions they could perform with 80% of the maximal weight they could lift during pre-training tests. However, the imagery group improved 26% in leg press strength vs. 21% in the control group. Repetitions with 80% of pre-training max increased 92% in the imagery group vs. 79% in the control group. Both between-group differences were statistically significant. There were no differences between training groups as to changes in bench-press performance and neither group showed any significant increases in muscle-size.

Bottom Line
It is known that the strength gains resulting from the first few weeks of training are largely due to neuromuscular adaptations rather than muscle-size increases. Mental imagery may enhance the neuromuscular component of strength change and thus the most applicable to novice lifters. It is not clear why the method was effective for the leg press but not the bench press.

Is Elliptical Training as Good as Running for Improving Fitness?

2010-06-23T18:20:00.001-04:00

Elliptical trainers have become very popular in gyms as well as in the home. Their popularity is due to a lack of impact on the body while providing resistance to both the lower and upper body musculature. The movement pattern looks similar to running but does not involve pounding of the feet on the ground. An added advantage is the relative silence of an elliptical device compared to a treadmill, which produces considerable noise from foot strikes and its motor.

An important question is whether the elliptical trainer provides as good an aerobic workout as a treadmill or running outside. A study by Brown et al. in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (volume 24, number 6, pp. 1643-1649, 2010) was designed to answer that question.

Experimental Procedure
9 male and 9 female college-aged subjects worked out for 15 minutes on different days on both a treadmill and an elliptical trainer at a difficulty level they self-selected as “somewhat hard.” The subjects were instrumented to collect information on their rate of oxygen utilization, pulse rate and other relevant variables.

Results
The only statistically significant differences between exercise on the elliptical machine and the treadmill were that the elliptical machine produced higher:

heart rate
percentage of maximal rate of oxygen utilization
Ratio of carbon-dioxide produced to oxygen used

However, there were no significant differences in total energy expenditure or total oxygen consumption.

Bottom Line
The similarities between the responses to exercise on the elliptical trainer and treadmill were far more important than their differences. They both produced very similar aerobic stimulus to the body when the subjects worked out at a moderate level of difficulty, which is typical. Therefore, for general health, one can use an elliptical trainer with confidence. However, since running is a very basic human activity that is essential for sports and reacting to emergencies, run training is still generally more useful. Someone who trains exclusively on an elliptical machine and reaches a high level of fitness will not perform as well when faced with a running challenge, and muscle soreness will surely result. Yet, elliptical training is a good way to maintain cardio-respiratory function for injured athletes and others who cannot tolerate lower body impact. It can also provide variety in training for those who run regularly.

How to Avoid Weightlifting-Related Shoulder Injuries

2010-06-22T13:50:00.001-04:00

Terms used in this article:

Rotator cuff: Muscles (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, subscapularis) that stabilize the shoulder joint and rotate the arm at the shoulder
Internal shoulder rotation: Standing with your upper arm against your torso with your elbow at a right angle, rotate your upper arm inward until your hand touches your abdomen.
External shoulder rotation: From the position you just attained by internally rotating your shoulder, rotate your upper arm outward so that your hand moves away from your abdomen, as you would when throwing a Frisbee.
Trapezius muscle: Extends from the back of your head and neck down your central upper back and serves to raise the shoulders and draw them backwards.
Range of motion: The number of degrees through which a joint can be rotated.

A recent article by Kolber et al. in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (Vol 24, no 6, pp. 1696-1704, 2010) reviewed existing scientific research articles on shoulder injuries brought on by weightlifting. It noted that 25-35% of people who engage in resistance training sustain an injury severe enough to require medical attention and that 36% of such injuries are to the shoulder. The vulnerability of the shoulder is related to the high number of exercises that involve the shoulder, the great stresses the exercises place on the shoulder, and the unfavorable positions in which some exercises place the shoulder. In addition, many lifters do not warm up properly, select a balanced set of exercises, use proper lifting technique, or modify/eliminate exercises that cause pain. Major muscles are frequently worked to the exclusion of minor ones, leading to muscle imbalances. Shoulder muscles commonly injured include the pectoralis major, biceps, deltoid and rotator cuff group.

The Most Common Signs of Shoulder-Dysfunction Among Weightlifters:

Reduced internal shoulder rotation range of motion
Excessive external shoulder rotation range of motion
Underdeveloped external rotation strength relative to internal rotation strength
Underdeveloped external rotation strength relative to arm abduction (raising) strength
Underdeveloped lower trapezius strength relative to upper trapezius strength
Instability of the anterior (front) shoulder
Tightness of the posterior (rear) shoulder

Common Pain-Producing Exercises
The following exercises in which the upper arm is raised to the side and parallel to the floor while the forearm is vertical put the shoulder in a fully externally rotated position and are considered hazardous:

Behind the neck pull-down
Behind the neck overhead press
Overhead stack machine press in which the hands move rearward as the weight is lifted

Other exercises, although generally safe, also associated with shoulder pain:

Bench press
Incline chest fly
Supine chest fly
Dip
Biceps curl

The following may help to prevent weightlifting-related shoulder injury:

Discontinue any exercise that causes pain.
If an exercise hurts, try variations that do not hurt (e.g. bench press with rolled up towel on chest to limit movement).
Balance every push exercise with a pull exercise in the opposite direction.
Balance exercises involving major body movements (e.g. bench press, pull-down) with those that stabilize and rotate the shoulder.
Exercises that strengthen external shoulder rotation are particularly important (e.g. do the external rotation movement described above, resisted by weight stack cable or elastic band).
Do strength exercises for the lower trapezius (e.g. rowing motions with elbows high and shoulders drawn fully back).
Do flexibility exercises to increase internal shoulder rotation.
Do flexibility exercises to stretch the rear shoulder (e.g. Stand with upper arm parallel to the ground. Grip elbow with other hand and pull arm horizontally across the chest).

Should You Skip Breakfast to Burn More Fat During a Workout?

2010-06-04T11:36:00.001-04:00

An Associated Press article suggesting that, because skipping breakfast before a workout burns more fat, such a practice may be effective for body fat loss. Yet, the study on which the article is based provides absolutely no evidence that such a practice would result in a stable loss of body fat. Sure, if your body is depleted of stored carbohydrates in the form of muscle and liver glycogen, you will burn more fat during exercise. However, a close look at the article reveals that the fat burned is in the muscle, and not around the waist or other parts of the body where people generally want to lose fat. Thus, exercising in a fasted state merely depletes intramuscular fat that is replenished upon eating. So there is no net body fat loss unless one consumes fewer calories than are used, which requires dietary control. So we can’t escape from the truism that the only way to lose weight is to burn more calories than you take in.

The following are additional reasons not to exercise in a fasted state:

You will feel less energetic and more lethargic
The quality of your workout will diminish
Your motivation to exercise will be reduced
You will cannibalize muscle to convert protein into needed carbohydrates

The only advantage to running in a fasted state might be for long-distance runners who wish to train their bodies to preferentially burn fat, thereby sparing muscle and liver glycogen to avoid “hitting the wall” late in a race. However, training with long-distance runs accomplish the same goal.

Caffeine May Interfere With Muscle Building

2010-06-02T17:40:00.000-04:00

An online article in the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine by Wu and Lin (vol 9, pp 262-269, 2010) indicates that going heavy on the caffeine before resistance training may be counterproductive.

Experimental method
Ten men performed a workout consisting of 3 sets of 8 exercises. Each set consisted of 10 repetitions of 75% of the weight that could be lifted only once. On one day, the workout was performed an hour after caffeine ingestion and on another day an hour after ingesting a non-caffeinated placebo. The amount of caffeine was 6 mg/kg or about 475 mg for a 175 lb man. That’s about the amount of caffeine in one-and-a-half 16 oz Starbucks Grande coffees or four-and-a-half 8 oz cups of home-brewed coffee. Blood was analyzed at various times for levels of insulin, testosterone, cortisol, growth hormone, glucose, free fatty acid and lactic acid.

Results
As has been observed in previous studies, blood levels of free fatty acids were higher in those who ingested caffeine than in those who did not. That is why caffeine is considered an ergogenic aid (performance enhancer) for endurance sports. Long distance runners often take in caffeine to promote the burning of fats in preference to carbohydrates, allowing the limited store of carbohydrates in the muscle and liver to last longer, sparing the athlete from “hitting the wall’ later in the race.

A result not noted in previous studies was that blood concentration of human growth hormone (HGH) was significantly lower when the subjects had previously ingested caffeine than when they hadn‘t. Since HGH is a muscle-building hormone, caffeine ingestion prior to resistance training can be considered counterproductive.

There were no significant differences in blood levels of insulin, testosterone and cortisol between caffeine and no-caffeine conditions.

Bottom Line
It appears prudent to avoid caffeine consumption for at least 3 hours prior to a resistance training session in order to maximize results. Since the time it take for the body to rid itself of half of ingested caffeine is approximately 5 hours in healthy adults, then excessive caffeine consumption is not recommended, even several hours before a workout.

Limiting Your Fruit and Vegetable Pesticide Exposure

2010-06-02T11:54:00.000-04:00

The Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to promote public health, reviewed nearly 100,000 reports on fruit and vegetable pesticide residue from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Agriculture. After being washed with a USDA high-pressure water system, many of the fruits and vegetables still contained high pesticide residues. The following were the worst.

Celery
Peaches
Strawberries
Apples
Domestic blueberries
Nectarines
Sweet bell peppers
Spinach, kale and collard greens
Cherries
Potatoes
Imported grapes
Lettuce

In contrast, the following were found to have little or no pesticide residue.

Onions
Avocados
Sweet corn
Pineapples
Mango
Sweet peas
Asparagus
Kiwi fruit
Cabbage
Eggplant
Cantaloupe
Watermelon
Grapefruit
Sweet potatoes
Sweet onions

Bottom Line
Obviously, buying organic fruit and vegetables is the simplest and most direct way to avoid pesticide exposure. Unfortunately, organic produce is usually a lot more expensive than the non-organic variety and most people balk at the price difference. A reasonable compromise is to limit consumption of the most pesticide-tainted fruits and vegetables and preferably buy them in organic form, while buying other fruits and vegetables in non-organic form. The Environmental Working Group states that switching to the organic version of just the produce from the worst-offender list would reduce total dietary pesticide consumption by 80%.

Grouping Weightlifting Exercises for Time-Efficiency

2010-05-25T12:41:00.002-04:00

The usual recommended rest period between sets of a weightlifting exercise is 1-5 minutes. Short rest periods are most often used by bodybuilders, while longer rest periods are often used by athletes looking to achieve maximum strength in specific lifts, such as those engaged in powerlifting or Olympic weightlifting competition. Most athletes and recreational lifters rest 2-3 minutes between sets.

Since the rest period between sets can account for the great majority of total workout time, some strength and conditioning coaches and athletes favor doing exercises in groups of 2-5, doing a set of each of the exercises in the group, then repeating the cycle 3 or more times before going on to the next group. The exercises within a given group involve different muscles. There is typically little time between sets but, because of the grouping system, more substantial time between sets of the same exercise. Such a routine has been called "multiple mini-circuits." The advantages of this type of program are that:

A lot of exercise can be done in a given time period
Each muscle group has adequate recovery time
Heart rate remains high, affording some aerobic conditioning
The body becomes accustomed to intermittent high-intensity exertions, relevant to many sports

The time-efficiency of such a workout is substantial. A typical weightlifting set takes about 30 seconds. If the trainee moves directly from one exercise to the next, there is generally only 30-40 seconds between the end of one set and the beginning of another. Thus, after becoming accustomed to this type of workout, a trainee can typically do 40-50 exercise sets in one hour, without sacrificing weight lifted or repetitions accomplished. In comparison, someone doing sets of the same exercise consecutively, with 2-3 minutes of rest in between, typically completes only 18-24 sets within an hour. Thus, performing exercise in groups allows one to either do twice as many exercises in a given amount of time or to take half the time to do the same number of exercises.

The exercises within a group use different movements and involve different muscle groups. A group might consist of:

Push: bench press
Pull: stack row
Leg: squat
Torso: leg raise

3-5 such groupings make for a comprehensive total-body workout. Done twice per week, this leaves time for a lot of other conditioning activities such as sport drills, plyometrics, distance running, speed work, and agility training.

The results of a research study by Robbins et al. (Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, vol 24, no 5, pp 1237-1245, 2010) supports this type of training. In the study, following a warmup, 16 males performed 3 sets of bench press and 3 sets of bench pulls 2 different ways:

3 consecutive sets of bench pull beginning 4 minutes apart, followed by 3 consecutive sets of bench press beginning 4 minutes apart, for a total workout time of 20 minutes.
3 pairs of alternating sets of bench pull and bench press beginning 2 minutes apart for a total workout time of 10 minutes.

Note that both routines provided 4 minutes between sets of the same exercise. Analysis of the study results showed the two workouts similar in effect on the muscles. Both were similar in muscle electrical activity, the amount of weight lifted, and the number of repetitions performed in each set. The study also gave support for grouping more than 2 exercises together, as full recovery was not achieved with 4 minutes between sets of the same exercise.

Medical Disclaimer

This description of exercise practices and experimental results is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a recommendation. Anyone engaging in an exercise program should obtain proper medical authorization before doing so.

Avoiding or Lessening the Effects of a Stroke

2010-05-19T14:34:00.001-04:00

An article in the May 2010 issue of the NIH (National Institutes of Health) News in Health describes how to avoid a stroke or, if you have one, how to recognize it and take immediate action to completely avoid, or at least lessen any lasting effects.

A stroke is a failure of normal blood flow to the brain, which can damage and destroy brain cells. There are two types of stroke:

Ischemic Stroke - the arteries feeding the brain are blocked, usually by a blood clot
Hemorrhagic stroke - broken or leaking blood vessels fail to supply oxygen to brain cells

Ischemic stroke accounts for about 80%, and hemorrhagic stroke about 20% of cases. Unfortunately, the treatment for the two types of stroke are opposite, so treating for the wrong kind of stroke can actually increase the damage to brain cells.

Signs of an ischemic stroke include sudden weakness or numbness of the face, arm, or leg, especially if it occurs on one side of the body, and/or difficulty in walking, talking, seeing and thinking. If you have any of these symptoms, it is important to be taken to an emergency room immediately (don’t drive yourself) because clot-busting drugs, if taken within 3 hours of the onset of symptoms, can stop brain damage. Unfortunately, only 2% of stroke victims actually get this effective treatment within the optimal time window. If given too late, the drug can actually increase damage. It is also important to get prompt treatment even if symptoms disappear quickly, because mini-strokes, also called transient ischemic attacks (TIAs), are a sign that a major stroke may occur soon afterwards.

The most common symptom of hemorrhagic stroke is a very sudden and painful headache, and prompt surgery may be required to repair a damaged blood vessel feeding the brain.

Some cases of partial or complete paralysis on one side of the face are not caused by stroke but by Bell’s Palsy, a nerve disorder that is, in most cases, temporary. However, only a medical professional can distinguish between Bell’s Palsy and a stroke. In both illnesses, immediate treatment produces the best outcome, so an emergency room visit is required in either case.

A healthy lifestyle can lessen your risk of a stroke. By exercising, eating healthfully (especially limiting foods high in saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium), not smoking, and keeping your weight under control you can dramatically reduce your risk of a stroke. Our web site has more specific details on avoiding a stroke.

Bottom Line
To greatly reduce your risk of a stroke, follow a healthy lifestyle. But if you do develop stroke symptoms, seek immediate medical attention to avoid permanent damage and long-term disability.

Making the Best Use Your Time in the Gym

2010-05-17T15:03:00.003-04:00

I'm frequently amazed by how much time many people waste in the gym. This particularly applies weight lifters, because it is difficult to waste time when you’re on a cardio machine or in a group exercise class, both of which provide largely non-stop exercise. But lifting allows you to go at your own pace, so it is very easy to get lazy or distracted. You may have even been given the incorrect advice that a work-to-rest ratio of one to five is the right way to exercise.

I recently saw a gym patron talking on a cell phone most of the time and doing a minimum of lifting between conversations. I’ve seen many others standing around chatting for long periods. Then there are the people who do a set of exercise and sit on the bench or machine for 3-5 minutes before doing another set, oblivious to other people who are waiting to use the device. I even saw one gym patron reading magazine articles between sets. And personal trainers, who have great influence over their trainees, often chat extensively with their clients. That might be effective for promoting a client-trainer relationship, but it’s certainly not the best for physical conditioning.

Long rests between lifting sets is recommended for a very limited number of competitive strength athletes, such as Olympic weightlifters, who spend hours in the gym in their quest to maximize the weight they can lift and need long rest periods for full recovery and to focus on technique. However, such time-intensive programs are not effective for bodybuilders or athletes in most sports that require a good balance of strength, muscular endurance, and overall conditioning. It takes an inordinate amount of time to do a comprehensive workout when there is a lot of time between exercise sets. Most of us have lives outside of the gym and must work out efficiently to get the desired benefits within a limited amount of time. Even high-level athletes often must commit so much time to the practice of their sport that they do not have many hours in the week left to spend in the gym on training.

One way to do a comprehensive workout in a limited time is to work out in groups of 2-5 exercises. For example, you can first go through the following group 3 times: 1) an upper-body push exercise, 2) an upper-body pull exercise, 3) a lower-body push exercise, and 4) a torso exercise. After the first group is done, a second and then a third group of exercises are performed. While a beginner should rest as needed between sets, as one becomes conditioned , the only rest needed between sets is the time required to walk between stations and adjust the weight. Using this method, a well-conditioned lifter can accomplish more than 40 sets of exercise in one hour. Some advantages of this system are:

There is enough rest between sets of the same exercise to allow optimal recovery time for that muscle group.
Both strength and muscular endurance are developed
The heart rate stays up, providing some aerobic benefit
More calories are burned per hour.
The routine provides whole-body conditioning essential to most sports
The workout leaves more time to work on speed, power, agility, and endurance, as well as practice of one's sport.

Bottom Line
Time spent in the gym talking, sitting, standing around, or reading does not contribute to one’s physical development. A great majority of gym time should be spent exercising unless the gym is the center of one's social life. A routine based on cycling through groups of 2-5 exercises provides a lot of muscle work in a limited amount of time, and provides the added benefit of total body conditioning.

The Bagel Dilemma

2010-05-13T13:03:00.002-04:00

What could be more simple than a bagel? It would appear to have simple ingredients like flour and water and, when flavored, ingredients like cinnamon, raisins, sesame seeds, onion, and garlic. All seem fairly wholesome. What could be a better snack or source of energy when a meal is several hours away or an exercise session is planned within 2-4 hours?

Just to check on the ingredients in fresh bagels available to me, I did a web search on their ingredients, and found the following counts for plain bagels:

Stop and Shop: calories 290, sodium 520 mg, sugars 4 mg
Finagle a Bagel: calories 290, sodium 410 mg, sugars 8 mg
Dunkin Donuts calories 320, sodium 660 mg, sugars 6 mg
Bruegger’s: calories 300, sodium 530 mg, sugars 7 mg
Starbucks: calories 300, sodium 460 mg, sugars 8 mg

I have nothing against the calories. We all need them to survive. And when carbo loading for athletic activity, healthy calories are what we’re looking for. It’s the sodium that’s the problem. Based on average caloric intake and recommended sodium limits, we should be taking in very roughly about one milligram of sodium per calorie consumed. That means that any food containing significantly more milligrams of sodium than calories should be considered a high-sodium food. Thus, all of the bagels listed above are high in sodium. If a plain bagel can’t be low to moderate in sodium, what can? Anything you put on top of the bagel is likely to be high in sodium as well. One slice of cheese contains about 300 mg, 2 slices of cold-cuts have 600-800 mg. But the real dilemma is, if even a plain bagel is high in sodium, how can we possibly keep our sodium levels under control?

The best we can do is to carry our own snacks and energy foods that have healthy ingredients and low to moderate sodium levels. That means either using fresh fruits or buying products whose ingredient labels pass muster. And when we prepare dinner, we can use as many fresh ingredients as possible and use processed products like sauces and salad dressings that have reasonable sodium levels listed on their labels. Fruit juices are not recommended as a major energy source because of their high sugar content. The same goes for chocolate milk, which has recently been touted as a good recovery drink. Skim or 1% milk isn’t a bad alternative if one prefers a liquid rather than solid snack. A glass of 1% milk contains 102 calories, 107 mg of sodium, and 13 mg of natural sugars.

The Difficulty of Eating Lunch Without Getting Socked by Sodium

2010-05-11T12:22:00.001-04:00

Recommendations for daily sodium intake have been made by various health organizations such as the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine. They generally agree on a range of 1,500 to 2,300 mg/day for normal people but lower limits for those with congestive heart failure, liver cirrhosis, or kidney disease. One teaspoon of salt contains 2,300 gm of sodium.

Unfortunately, without ever picking up a salt shaker, it is very difficult to keep within the recommended sodium limits range if one either eats in restaurants or uses processed foods at home.

While people frequently eat dinner at home, and thus may control the amount of sodium they take in by using fresh ingredients, many of us find it convenient to eat lunch in a fast-food or table-served restaurant. Some examples from popular restaurants below show how difficult it is to find a restaurant meal that does not contain excess sodium.

McDonald's

Big Mac®: 1040 mg
Premium Grilled Chicken Ranch BLT Sandwich: 1190 mg
Premium Bacon Ranch Salad with Grilled Chicken: 1010 mg

Burger King

Whopper®with cheese: 1450 mg
Angus Steak Burger®: 1260 mg
TenderGrill™ Chicken: 1180 mgs
BK Big Fish®: 1450 mgs

Wendy's

Double w/Everything and Cheese: 1440 mg
Homestyle Chicken Fillet Sandwich: 1120 mg

Dunkin’ Donuts

Egg and cheese on a bagel: 1160 mg
Bagel and cream cheese: 910 mg

Panera Bread

Chipotle chicken sandwich on artisan French: 2370 mg
Cuban chicken Panini: 1900 mg
Turkey artichoke Panini on focaccia: 2340 mg

Pizza Hut

Half of a 12” medium cheese pan pizza: 2120 mg
2 slices of large 14” meat lover’s pan pizza: 2360 mg

Chipotle

Chicken burrito in 13” tortilla with rice, black beans, tomato salsa, guacamole and lettuce: 2100 mg
Steak burrito in 13” tortilla with rice, red beans, tomato salsa, cheese, guacamole and lettuce: 2160 mg

Bottom Line
These amounts of sodium are way over the top. And don’t think that table-served restaurants are any better. They vary widely as to the amount of salt added to their food, but most use a lot of salt. Why? Because most people like the taste. It’s obvious that any large restaurant chain would do extensive taste tests to see what people like best. So high salt foods must be what people prefer. Salt levels in food are thus market-driven. However, it is difficult to tell whether we have just gotten used to high-salt foods because of their prevalence or whether we have some instinctive salt craving that dates back to hunting and gathering days, when salt in the diet was difficult to obtain. Whatever the case, medical authorities widely agree that we are getting too much of it. Pending possible legislation to limit the sodium count in foods, the best we can do is to prepare our own food from fresh ingredients as much as possible and to consult nutritional information at restaurants or on their web sites to make selections without excessive sodium content, however difficult that is. It would also be helpful if large companies received e-mail or other messages from consumers asking to reduce the sodium content in their foods.

Is Fructose Unhealthy?

2010-04-30T13:45:00.005-04:00

There has recently been some concern from various sources that fructose might be unhealthy. The focus on fructose has likely been prompted by the widely increased use of high-fructose corn syrup to sweeten various foods and drinks such as sodas, iced tea, yogurt, and snacks. Yet fructose can also be found in relatively high amounts in fruits, especially apples, pears, grapes (including raisins), and pineapples, and even in vegetables such as tomatoes, cabbage and squash. Table sugar (sucrose) is a 50/50 amalgam of fructose and glucose, while high-fructose corn syrup is 55% free fructose and 45% free glucose, industrially manufactured from corn starch,

There is some fairly solid evidence supporting the negative health effects of fructose on mice, but the evidence concerning humans is much less conclusive. In human studies, fructose intake has been positively correlated with obesity (1, 2), especially fatty deposits around the waist, which is thought to be the most dangerous to health and, of course, detrimental to the 6-pack look. Fructose also increases blood triglycerides, a recognized risk factor for heart disease (3). All cells in the body can metabolize glucose, but only the liver can metabolize fructose, and high fructose consumption appears to load the liver with fatty deposits (4, 5). Also, fructose tends to suppress insulin and leptin, both of which are hormones that decrease appetite, while increasing ghrelin, which raises appetite (6, 7), thus possibly contributing to excess weight gain. However, there is little evidence that the fructose in high-fructose corn syrup is more damaging than the fructose in table sugar (typically sucrose from sugar cane).

Bottom Line
While more studies must be done to solidify the evidence on the effects of fructose on human health, it appears wise to avoid excessive intake of fructose. This can be accomplished by:

Completely avoiding foods and drinks containing high-fructose corn syrup
Limiting consumption of table sugar and any product with a high sugar content
Limiting fruit juice consumption, especially juice from apples and grapes

References:
1. Lustig RH (2006). "Childhood obesity: behavioral aberration or biochemical drive? Reinterpreting the First Law of Thermodynamics". Nature clinical practice. Endocrinology & metabolism 2 (8): 447–58. doi:10.1038/ncpendmet0220. PMID 16932334.

2. Isganaitis E, Lustig RH (2005). "Fast food, central nervous system insulin resistance, and obesity". Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Biol. 25 (12): 2451–62. doi:10.1161/01.ATV.0000186208.06964.91. PMID 16166564.

3. Bantle JP, Raatz SK, Thomas W, Georgopoulos A (2000). "Effects of dietary fructose on plasma lipids in healthy subjects". Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 72 (5): 1128–34. PMID 11063439.

4. Forristal, Linda (Fall 2001). "The Murky World of High-Fructose Corn Syrup". Weston A. Price Foundation. http://www.westonaprice.org/motherlinda/hfcs.html.

5. Ouyang X, Cirillo P, Sautin Y, et al. (June 2008). "Fructose consumption as a risk factor for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease". J. Hepatol. 48 (6): 993–9. doi:10.1016/j.jhep.2008.02.011. PMID 18395287.

6. Teff, KL; Elliott SS, Tschöp M, Kieffer TJ, Rader D, Heiman M, Townsend RR, Keim NL, D'Alessio D, Havel PJ (June 2004). "Dietary fructose reduces circulating insulin and leptin, attenuates postprandial suppression of ghrelin, and increases triglycerides in women". J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 89 (6): 2963–72. doi:10.1210/jc.2003-031855. PMID 15181085.

7. Swan, Norman; Lustig, Robert H. "ABC Radio National, The Health Report, The Obesity Epidemic". http://www.abc.net.au/rn/healthreport/stories/2007/1969924.htm. Retrieved 2007-07-15.

Complex, Specific Training Improves Sports Performance

2010-04-29T18:16:00.001-04:00

Introduction
It is much more difficult to improve the physical performance of highly trained athletes than of previously untrained subjects. Thus, it is noteworthy that the study described below by Alves et al. (Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, vol 24, no 4, pages 936-941, 2010) produced significant performance improvement among elite young Portugese soccer players using brief exercise sessions once or twice per week.

Experimental Method
23 young elite soccer players underwent the following tests before and after an 8-week period:

vertical jump from a static, bent-knee position
vertical jump using a dynamic countermovement (natural quick knee bend)
5 meter sprint
15 meter sprint
soccer agility test

All subject initially did 2 weeks of general weight training before being divided into 3 experimental groups that did the following for 6 weeks in addition to their normal soccer training:

Group 1 - Once a week, before their regular soccer training session, they went through the following 3 exercise stations:

6 reps of squats with 85% of max weight, 5 meters of high-knee skipping, 5 meter sprint
6 reps of calf raises with 90% of max weight, 8 vertical jumps, 3 soccer-ball high-head hits
6 reps of knee extension with 80% of max weight, 6 jumps from seated position, 3 60-cm drop jumps

Group 2 - The same routine as Group 1, but done twice a week instead of once a week.

Group 3 - Control group - did no exercises supplementary to their regular soccer practice.

Results:
5-meter sprint time improved 9% for Group 1 and 6% for Group 2
15-meter sprint time improved 7% for Group 1 and 3% for Group 2
vertical jump from static bent-knee position improved 13% for Group 1 and 10% for Group 2
none of the groups improved significantly in the countermovement jumps or agility test
the control group did not improve in any of the tests

Conclusions
A relatively short exercise program of weight-lifting, jumping, and sport-specific movements performed once or twice per week can significantly improve the physical performance of elite athletes. Even though the results of the once per week and twice per week exercise groups did not differ significantly, it appears that the subjects responded better to doing the program once per week rather than twice per week when regular sport training was persued concurrently.

Can Omega-3 Oils Deter Aging?

2010-04-23T13:49:00.001-04:00

An interesting article appeared in the April 2010 Nutrition Action Health Letter that reported on a study of 600 San Francisco area residents with heart disease. Those with the highest blood levels of the Omega-3 fats, DHA and EPA, had the least telomere shortening, while those with the lowest blood levels had the most shortening. This is important because telomeres are the end-sections of chromosomes that become shorter as we age, eventually triggering genes that bring about symptoms of aging. These results were independent of other factors that might affect risk, like blood pressure, body weight, smoking history and exercise participation. The health letter recommends eating fatty fish like salmon twice a week and the American Heart Association recommends that people with heart disease take one 1,000 mg fish oil capsule daily. More than 3,000 mg per day may cause bleeding.

NOTE: This was a cross-sectional study. More definitive conclusions about the effects of Omega-3 fats on telomeres would be gained from prospective studies in which half the subjects are randomly assigned to eat high Omega-3 diets for several years while the other half are assigned to eat low Omega-3 diets, and the effects on their telomere shortening are observed. Of course, it is still a good idea to eat fatty fish because of the abundant existing evidence of it's disease-deterring qualities. Also, some of the countries with the longest life spans have high percapita fish consumption.

Static Stretching Reduces Jumping Power

2010-04-20T13:15:00.000-04:00

Introduction
In static stretching, a muscle is stretched to the point of mild discomfort and the position is held for 15 sec or more. In contrast, dynamic stretching involves rapidly moving in and out of the stretched position. The former recommendation in favor of static stretching was based on the finding that it was effective for lasting improvements in flexibility. Thus, for many years, pre-competition static stretching was widely recommended for a broad range of athletes. However, recent studies, such as the one described below, have shown that static stretching before athletic efforts requiring explosive power (e.g. sprinting and jumping) actually hurts performance.

Study Methods
In a study by La Torre et al. (Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, vol 24, no 3, pages 687-694, 2010), 17 young men performed vertical squat jumps from a force-detecting platform using various starting knee angles. On one day, they did the jumps after performing static stretches of their quadriceps and calf muscles for 10 minutes. Each muscle was stretched on both legs using 4 sets of 30-second holds with 30-second rests between sets. On another day they did the jumps without stretching beforehand.

Results
At all starting knee angles, stretching before the jump test reduced jump height, peak force, and maximal acceleration, but only the differences for jumps beginning with the knees least bent were statistically significant. When starting the jump with the knees flexed 50 degrees (about a half-squat position) jump height, peak force, and maximum acceleration were respectively 21%, 9%, and 15% lower when stretching was performed first than when no stretching was performed.

Bottom Line
This study reinforces other ones showing that static stretching prior to an athletic event reduces explosive muscular power. The fact that the negative effect is most pronounced when the knees are only bent to a moderate degree is highly relevant to sports activities because most sports do not involve deeply bending the knee. Dynamic stretching does not have the same detrimental effect. Thus, it appears that before athletic events that require power but not great flexibility it is best to warm up thoroughly and perform dynamic stretches before the event. The detrimental effect of static stretching on muscular power has not been shown to carry over to the following day. Therefore, static stretching may be performed after an athletic event to promote general flexibility without harming physical performance.

Brock Lesnar's Workout - Perfect Example of Functional Training

2010-04-08T17:35:00.001-04:00

See the video of one of Brock Lesnar's workouts. Lesnar is the current top heavyweight of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the most popular mixed martial arts organization in the U.S. He won the NCAA heavyweight wrestling championship in 2000 and later became a professional (choreographed) wrestler. When he joined the UFC, he became a dominant force. Watch this highlight video to see his speed and power.

Lesnar's workout is a prime example of functional training. No doubt weight-lifting and running are essential for a base level of fitness. However, to really excel in a sport or other physically demanding activity, one has to train in ways that simulate the activity to be improved. Lesnar's routine is based on 5-minute rounds as are UFC fights. His exercises are mostly whole-body, multi-directional, asymmetrical, and highly taxing to the lactic-acid energy system. No doubt Lesnar does a lot of conventional weight-liting. However, his lesson to us is that, in order to excel in a sport or other physical activity, training must be supplemented by routines that simulate the target activity as to which muscles and energy systems are used and the way they are used.

Vibration Training Can Increase Jump Height

2010-04-06T11:07:00.001-04:00

Introduction

Because of evidence supporting their effectiveness for improving strength, flexibility and power, whole body vibration platforms have become increasingly available in fitness centers and athletic training facilities. These platforms generally provide repeated vertical fluctuations at a user-selected rate and amplitude (distance). One study reported that frequencies of 20-30 Hz (cycles per second) produced the greatest gains in flexibility and strength. Amplitude adjustment generally ranges from 1-15 mm (0.04-0.60").

While it is easy to train previously untrained people to increase strength and power, it is more difficult to produce improvement in those already trained. Thus, the study described below provided a challenge to whole-body vibration training.

Experimental Method

In a study by Wyon, Guinan, and Hawkey published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (vol 24, no 3, pp. 866-870, 2010) 18 female undergraduate dance majors, who were currently engaged in 12-16 hours of dance training per week, were divided into the following two groups that were tested before and after a 6-week experimental period:

Experimental Group: In addition to their normal dance training, these subjects did whole-body vibration training two times a week separated by 2 rest days. The training consisted of twice holding each of the following positions for 30 sec while on a vibration platform set at a frequency of 35 Hz and amplitude of 4 mm (0.16").

     Half-squat with knees pointing outwards
     Right leg leading lunge
     Left leg leading lunge
     Maximal height calf raise
     Forward torso bend (at least 90 degrees) with knees straight

Control Group: In addition to their normal dance training, this group held each of the same positions as the experimental group, but on a stable floor rather than on a vibration platform.

Results

The experimental groups improved 2.3 cm (0.9" or 6%) in their maximal vertical jump, while the control group actually declined by 1.5 cm (0.6" or 4%). This difference was statistically significant.

Bottom Line

Whole-body vibration training appears to hold promise for training athletes and dancers. The experimental training required only 5 minutes twice a week. Because the physical demands on in-season dancers and athletes are great, strength and power training is usually limited to avoid overtraining. However, whole-body vibration training seems to be able to improve performance without excessively stressing the athlete. An added advantage is the previous evidence that such training can improve bone mineral density. Low bone density has been a problem with female dancers and athletes who maintain low bodyfat, such as gymnasts and distance runners.

FDA Warns That Statin Drugs Can Cause Muscle Damage

2010-03-19T16:46:00.000-04:00

Statins, the most widely prescribed medications in the world, have been widely recognized to cause muscle pain and weakness in a small percentage of users. Now, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning that Zocor, a popular version of simvastatin, can cause muscle damage, particularly when used in its highest approved dosage (80 mg). What makes this even more dangerous is that muscle damage results in the release into the blood stream of large proteins that are not easily flushed through the kidneys. This can result in kidney failure and death. Admittedly, fatal problems due to statins are highly unlikely. Nevertheless, the problem is very serious for susceptible individuals. The 80 mg dose should be avoided, if possible, and patients must be encouraged to lower their total and LDL cholesterol by more natural means (e.g. weight control, exercise, reduced consumption of saturated fat and cholesterol). It is unfortunate that so many people see statins as the easy way out. Who wants to control one's eating and activity level when a pill will do? Mens-fitness-and-health.com believes that MOST people can keep their total and LDL cholesterol levels within recommended ranges if they follow a healthy lifestyle. Drugs should only be used as a last resort. See our natural methods for reducing total and LDL cholesterol levels.

A Profile of the Changing American Diet

2010-03-16T18:09:00.003-04:00

In its March 2010 issue, the Nutrition Action Healthletter, a publication of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, reported the following changes in U.S. eating patterns between 1970 and 2007. All quantities are per person per year.

Meat, Poultry, and Seafood

Beef - Dropped by about 20% to 40 lb
Chicken - Doubled to about 35 lb
Pork - Steady at about 28 lb
Fish - Increased more than 1/3 to 11 lb
Turkey - more than doubled to about 9 lb

Comment: There's still plenty of room for improvement, since beef and pork consumption increase the risk of colon cancer and heart disease.

Dairy

Cheese - Almost tripled to about 25 lb
Full fat ice cream - Dropped about 25% to 10 lb
Yogurt - Increased more than tenfold to about 8 lb
Low fat ice cream - Steady at about 5 lb

Comment: The sharp increase in cheese consumption is not good since most of the calories in cheese come from the kind of saturated fat that raises undesirable blood cholesterol (LDL). Yogurt is usually made from 1% milk, which is better than whole or 2% milk (regular milk is about 3.5%), and usually contains live cultures that benefit the digestive system. Yet all but plain yogurt contain a lot of sugar, usually in the form of high-fructose corn syrup, the health effects of which remain controversial.

Grains

White and whole wheat flour - Up about 20% to about 97 lb
Corn flour and meal - Almost tripled to about 22 lb
Rice - Almost tripled to about 15 lb
Oats - Fairly steady at about 2.5 lb

Comment: The overall increase in grain consumption is largely related to our increased total caloric intake. Unfortunately, grains often form the base of salty and calorie-heavy snacks such as corn chips and pretzels. It is best to eat whole grains in the form of bread, pasta, brown rice, quinoa, etc.

Fats and Oils

Salad and cooking oil - More than tripled to about 32 gallons
Shortening (hydrogenated oils) - Up about 25% over 1970 to about 15 gal but a third less than its peak consumption in 2000-2005
Margarine (also hydrogenated oils) - Dropped by 2/3 to about 3 gal
Butter - Dropped by 25% to 3 gal
Beef and pork fat - Steady at about 2.5 gal

Comment: Vegetable oils are generally considered healthful except when they raise caloric consumption over our daily needs. However, most of us consume an excess ratio of omega-6 oils (abundant in most vegetable oils) to omega-3 oils (abundant in fish and flaxseed oils). Olive oil has less omega-6 fat than most other vegetable oils and is generally regarded as beneficial.

Drinks

Sugared soda - Data only goes back to 1985. Since then there was an increase until 1998 but a 15% drop since then to about 34 gallons
Bottled water - Increased from almost nothing to about 29 gal
Coffee - Dropped by 25% to 24 gal
Beer - Up 20% to 22 gal
Milk - Down by 20% to 21 gal. Considering milk types, whole milk has fallen by 3/4 to 4 gal, 2% milk has more than doubled to 5 gal, skim milk has doubled to 2 gal, and 1% milk has gone from almost zero to 2 gal
Diet soda - Data only goes back to 1985. Since then its been up 2/3 to 15 gal
Fruit drinks - Data only goes back to 1985. Since then its been up 1/3 to 14 gal
Fruit juice - Up 1/3 to about 8 gal
Wine - Doubled to about 3 gal

Comment: We've gone in the right direction by cutting soda and whole milk consumption, but we still drink too much soda and sweetened drinks.

Fruits and vegetables

Vegetables (excluding potatoes) - Increased by 1/3 to 129 lb
Fruit - Increased about 5% to 73 lb
Fresh potatoes - Decreased by almost half to 25 lb
Frozen potatoes - More than doubled to 19 lb.

Comment: The increase in vegetable consumption is very good. However, the switch from fresh to frozen potatoes suggests that people are eating more french fries than mashed or baked potatoes.

Sugars (including corn syrup)

Up about 15% to 96 lb

Comment: Of course this is undesirable. Sugars are empty calories that increase the likelihood of weight gain, high blood triglycerides, and other problems.

Coffee and Tea Said to Reduce Diabetes Risk

2010-03-16T17:01:00.001-04:00

In its March 2010 issue, the Nutrition Action Healthletter, a publication of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, reported that a review of 18 studies with a total of 450,000 subjects around the world revealed that people who drank 3-4 cups of regular coffee per day had a 25% lower risk of diabetes than people who drank 2 or less cups per day. One might think that this was due to the caffeine content of coffee, but the effect was even stronger for decaffeinated coffee (35% reduced risk). The same quantity of tea had a more moderate effect (20% reduction). As with any cross-sectional study, one must be cautious about concluding cause-and-effect because people who choose to drink coffee or tea may be in some way constitutionally different from people who don't. A longitudinal study will be necessary to determine if people randomly assigned to drink or not drink coffee or tea have different risk of diabetes. In the meantime, this and other studies indicate that moderate consumption of coffee or tea appears beneficial.

Improving Performance in High-Level Athletes

2010-03-16T12:32:00.001-04:00

Introduction
It is not difficult to improve the physical performance of people who have had little or no intense training. Yet, it is much more challenging to improve the performance of high-level athletes who presumably have been training and competing at intense levels for considerable time. After all, their training and play have already stimulated their bodies to make major physiological changes, and many have likely reached a plateau by which they are no longer improving in their physical performance. However, a study by Wong et al. in the latest issue of the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (vol 24, no 3, 2010, pp. 653-660) shows that even the performance of professional athletes can be improved by a well-designed training program.

Experimental Methods
A group of Hong Kong professional soccer players were divided into 2 groups that trained for 8 weeks during the pre-season as follows:

Group 1: made up of 20 players who engaged in strength training and high-intensity interval training twice per week in addition to their regular soccer training. The strength training consisted of 4 sets of 6 repetitions of high pull, jump squat, bench press, back half squat, and chin-up. The high-intensity intervals consisted of sixteen 15-second sprints at 20% faster than maximal aerobic speed interspersed with 15-second rest periods. The method for determining maximal aerobic speed was not clearly described. However, it might be taken as the fastest pace at which one can run 3-5 miles (5-8 km).
Group 2: made up of 19 players engaged in only their regular soccer training.

Results
Only Group 1 improved significantly in the vertical jump (by 4%), 10-meter sprint time (by 6%), and 30-meter sprint time (by 3%).
Group 1 improved twice as much (20%) in a test of shuttle-running at progressively increasing speed as Group 2 (9%).

Bottom Line
Even high-level athletes can improve their physical performance by following a well-designed training program. Twice per week sessions of high-intensity interval training and weight training in addition to regular sport training appear effective for high-level athletes. It should be noted that this was pre-season training. Generally, during a competitive season, exercise other than regular sport-drills and competition is cut back considerably to avoid overtraining.

Medical Disclaimer
This description of experimental results is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a recommendation. Anyone engaging in an exercise program should obtain proper medical authorization before doing so.

Regular Stretching Can Increase Weight Training Gains

2010-03-09T10:57:00.001-05:00

Introduction
The value of stretching has been somewhat controversial. While there is no doubt that stretching is necessary for athletes whose limbs go through extreme ranges of motion in their sports (e.g. hurdlers, gymnasts) there is little evidence that it benefits other athletes. Regular stretching has not been shown to reduce the incidence of injuries among runners, and static stretching done right before "explosive" activities like jumping and sprinting actually impairs performance (although not next-day performance). However, a recent study by Kokkonen et al. in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (vol 24, no 2, 2010, pages 502-506) indicates that regular static stretching can actually increase weight training gains, at least for the first several weeks of a training program.

Experimental Procedure
Group 1 - Performed 3 sets of 6 repetitions of knee extension, knee flexion, and
               leg press 3 days per week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) for 8 weeks
Group 2 - Performed the same weight training routine as Group 1 but also did a stretching
               routine twice a week (Tuesday, Thursday) consisting of 15 stretches for the hamstrings,
               quadriceps, aductors, abductors, external and internal rotators, planter flexors, and dorsiflexors.
               Each stretch was done for 3 sets of 15-second holds with 15 seconds of rest in between sets.

Results
Group 1 improved in knee flexion, knee extension, and leg press max lifts by 12, 14, and 9% respectively, while Group 2 improved 16, 27, and 31% respectively. For the latter 2 lifts, improvement was significantly greater for group 2.

Bottom Line
A static stretching routine performed Tuesdays and Thursdays can increases strength gains obtained from weight training on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, at least during the first several weeks of a training program.

Longer-Interval Run Training Shows Beneficial Cholesterol Effect

2010-02-23T18:17:00.003-05:00

Introduction
The two major fractions of blood cholesterol are low-density-lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and high-density-lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. LDL increases the risk of heart-disease because it is readily deposited in arterial walls and can result in a blood clot that shuts off the blood supply to the heart muscle. In contrast, LDL removes cholesterol from arterial walls. The ratio of total cholesterol (TC) to HDL cholesterol is a risk-index for heart-disease. The higher the ratio, the greater the risk. The average ratio is 4.5, but doctors recommend it be below 4.0 and preferably below 3.0.

Endurance exercise has been shown to improve the TC/HDL ratio, but interval training (sprint running interspersed with rest periods) has not been shown effective in this regard. However, a recent study by Musa et al. (Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, vol 23, no 2, 2009, pages 587-592) showed that interval training using longer running intervals (500 meters ~ half-mile) can be effective for improving the ratio.

Experimental Procedure
20 college age males ran 4 half-mile intervals at high intensity (90% of max heart rate) seperated by rest periods equal in time (3-5 min) to the running intervals, 3 times a week for 8 weeks. Their TC/HDL ratio improved by 18%, reducing their risk of heart-disease by an estimated 37%. The training also improved their 2.4 km (1.5 mi) running time by 9%.

Bottom Line
Interval training using running distances of 0.5 miles and rest periods equal to run time can effectively enhance blood cholesterol profiles, reducing risk for heart-disease. Thus, for individuals healthy enough to withstand the strain of high-intensity running, longer-distance interval training can have a valuable place in a physical fitness program.

Potential Health Problems Related to Fructose Intake

2010-02-19T16:03:00.002-05:00

An article in The January/February 2010 issue of the Nutrition Action Health Letter, a publication of the Center for Science in the Public Interest highlights some potential health problems associated with fructose intake. Aside from the detrimental effects of any added sugar (e.g. empty calories, heart disease, obesity, diabetes, tooth decay) the article points up some problems specific to fructose (not only high-fructose corn syrup):

The liver converts virtually all fructose, but not glucose, into fat.
Fructose raises blood triglyceride level, an independent risk factor for heart disease
Fructose may increase visceral fat (fat around the internal organs) another risk factor for heart disease
Fructose intake may raise the risk of gout, a painful joint condition
Fructose may suppress the effectiveness of leptin, the body’s appetite-curbing hormone

Drinks and food products sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup are the greatest sources of fructose in the U.S. diet. Whole fruits, the sugar of which is mainly in the form of fructose, is not generally a problem because the amount of fructose in one apple or orange is limited. However, fruit juice is more of a problem because several individual fruits may go into one glass of juice. So it is best to keep eating whole fruits but limit intake of sodas, juice drinks, juices, and syrups.

Smoking Rises Among U.S. Adults

2010-02-19T14:28:00.000-05:00

The U.S. government Centers for Disease Control has reported that, for the first time since 1994, the percentage of adults who smoke has increased over the previous year - from 19.8% to 21.0%. For men, the rate is 23.1% and for women it is 18.3%. The increase ended a steady decline in smoking from about 40% in the 1960s. The highest rate is among people aged 25-44 and the lowest by far is among people over 65 (many smokers likely die before reaching that age). American Indians and Inuits (Eskimos) have the highest rate of any group while Asians have the lowest rate by far. As to education, more than 40% of those with a GED degree smoke, while less than 6% of those with graduate degrees do. The smoking rate is more than 50% higher for people below the poverty line than those above it. The U.S. states with the highest percentages of smokers are West Virginia, Indiana, and Kentucky, while the states with the lowerst percentages of smokers are Utah, California, and New Jersey.

Perhaps the economic recession and its associated stress have driven people to smoke, or at least driven those who had quit back into smoking. The entertainment industry doesn't help any, as leading men and women are frequently depicted smoking, as if this makes them sexier or tougher. The upward trend is unfortunate because, according to the CDC, "cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, accounting for approximately 443,000 deaths or 1 of every 5 deaths in the United States each year." In addition, smoking drains a considerable amount of money from family budgets, worsening financial pressures.

We must continue to seek other ways of dealing with stress than smoking. Exercise is a great stress-reducer. It is very difficult to think about one's problems while lifting a heavy weight, pushing oneself on a treadmill, keeping up with a strenuous exercise class or playing with one's team against tough competition. In addition, exercise leads to feelings of relaxation and well-being. There are several approaches to quitting smoking. Our web site provides a listing of the methods proven most effective.

Dynamic Stretching Proves Best For Jump Training

2010-02-18T12:34:00.001-05:00

Introduction
For many years, static stretching was recommended as superior to dynamic stretching for improvement of flexibility. Static stretching involves slowly stretching a muscle to the point of mild discomfort, then holding the position for 15 or more seconds. Dynamic stretching involves moving the body into and immediately out of the stretched position, repeating the cycle for several repetitions. However, while static stretching may be more effective than dynamic stretching for improving range of motion, static stretching performed immediately before explosive activities (e.g. jumping, sprinting) has been found to impair performance.

Experimental Procedure
A study by Hough, Ross, and Howatson, described in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (vol 23, no 2, 2009, pages 507-512) compared the effects of static vs. dynamic stretching on jump performance immediately after stretching. Eleven college-age males jumped on different days after either 1) not stretching, 2) performing static stretching, or 3) performing dynamic stretching. The stretching routines both targeted the ankle extensors (calf), hip extensors (butt), hamstrings (rear thigh), hip flexors (front thigh-torso junction), and quadriceps (front thigh). On the static stretch day, someone held the subjects' limbs in each stretch position for 30 seconds. On the dynamic stretch day, the subjects moved into and out of each stretched position 5 times slowly and 5 time quickly, without bouncing. Jump testing (3 max height jumps from a self-selected bent-knee position) was performed 2 minutes after the stretching.

Experimental Results
There were significant differences in jump height between all 3 stretching conditions. After static stretching, the subjects jumped 4.2% less vertical distance than when they didn't stretch at all. However, after dynamic stretching, the subjects jumped 4.9% greater distance than when they didn't stretch. The static stretching did not decrease muscle electrical activity, so its detrimental effect may be due to reduced muscle stiffness. However, the dynamic stretching increased muscle electrical activity, which may account for its positive effect on jump performance.

Bottom Line
Performance of explosive activities like jumping and sprinting can be enhanced by dynamic stretching immediately before the activity. Yet static stretching detracts from explosive performance.

Note
Other research has shown that the negative effect of static stretching on explosive performance is short-term. Therefore, because static stretching is effective for improving flexibility, it can safely be performed following athletic performance or exercise routines without interfering with the following day's athletic performance. This is particularly relevant to sports like gymnastics, that require great flexibility .

An Effective Method for Improving Sprint Speed

2010-02-10T17:40:00.001-05:00

Introduction
Resisted sprinting has become a standard training method for sprinters and other athletes who rely on their sprint speed (e.g. football players). There are various way to provide resistance to sprinting, such as small parachutes pulled by sprinters, push and pull sleds and carts, and long elastic cords. Evidence for the effectiveness of resisted sprinting, especially in combination with strength training, was provided in a recent article by Ross et al. in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (vol 23, no 2, 2009).

Experimental Method
25 college-age male athletes (American football, soccer, track and field), were divided among the following 3 training groups, all of which trained for 7 weeks:

Resisted Sprint Training: Did 8-12 sets of 40-60-meter sprints on a treadmill with 2-3 minutes rest in between. A proprietary device pulled back on the sprinters with up to 25% of their bodyweight. 25-40% of the sprints in each training session were resisted and the rest were unresisted.
Strength Training: Did a split routine of 10 weight-resisted exercises two days per week and 9 other exercises two days per week plus a core circuit each workout. Each exercise was done for 3-4 sets of 6-10 repetitions. There were 26-30 total sets per workout in addition to the core circuit.
Combined-Training: Did both the Resisted Sprint Training and Strength Training programs described above, on different days.

Experimental Results

Only the Combined-Training group improved significantly in 30-meter sprint time.
The Resisted-Sprint Training group improved somewhat in 30-m sprint time, but the change did not quite reach statistical significance.
Only the Combined-Training group improved significantly in treadmill sprint peak power.
All 3 training groups significantly improved their maximum barbell squat (6.6-8.4 kg) without any statistically significant difference among the improvements of the groups.

Bottom Line:
Resisted Sprint Training, especially in combination with Strength Training, is effective in improving sprint time, even among athletes who are already practiced in their sports.

Weight-Training with Slow vs. Normal-Speed Repetitions

2010-02-02T17:57:00.000-05:00

Weight-training with slow and super-slow repetitions has been promoted in some quarters as superior to normal-speed weight training. An article by Tanimoto et al. in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (vol. 23, no. 8, 2009) tested this hypothesis.

Experimental Method:
Twenty-four young men performed 3 sets of barbell squat exercise, twice a week for 13 weeks, and were equally distributed among the following 3 groups:

     - Control Group: no organized exercise
     - Slow-Repetition Group: 3 sec descending, 3 sec ascending, no rest between reps
     - Normal-Speed-Repetitions: 1 sec descending, 1 sec ascending, 1 sec between reps

The two lifting groups each did 8 reps with the most weight they could handle for that number of reps and the assigned speed (metronome-timed). Because slow reps are more difficult, the weight used was about 60% of max for the slow group and about 85% of max for the fast group.

Results:
Both training groups significantly improved both their max squatting strength (Slow: 34%, Fast: 28%) and their lean thigh muscle volume (Slow: 2.5%, Fast 3.6%). However the groups did not differ significantly in their percent gains in these two parameters. The authors concluded that slow resistance-training is just as effective as normal-speed training for improving muscle strength and size, and has the additional advantage of being safer because of lower musculoskeletal forces and less elevation of blood pressure.

One area in which the groups differed was in their muscle electrical activity while riding a bicycle at a typical speed and resistance. The slow-trained group developed a more unusual pattern of muscle activation and force application. The authors felt this indicated that slow-speed strength-training may have some unfavorable effects on dynamic physical activities, like those typical of sports. However, they felt that, because of the safety advantages of slow-speed weight-training, the method can be combined for sport training with some fast and exposive lifts (e.g. cleans), “cheating technique”, and plyometrics (e.g. jumping).

High Intensity Aerobic Interval Training

2010-01-29T14:22:00.000-05:00

In my posting of November 18, 2009, I mentioned some strong advantages to interval training. The type of interval training discussed involved cycling for 10 seconds at all-out intensity followed by 20 seconds of easy pedaling, repeating this 10 times. This 5-minute workout produced aerobic improvements similar to those of running steadily for 20-25 minutes and, in addition, produced improvements in max power output and in resistance to fatigue from repeated work bouts.

A different type of interval training is discussed in an article by Schoenfeld and Dawes in the Strength and Conditioning Journal (vol. 31, no. 6, December 2009). The High Intensity Aerobic Interval Training (HIIT) described involves work intervals of about 1 minute each, interspersed with recovery intervals (1 minute long for trained athletes and up to 4 minutes long for the less fit. The following program for the highly fit is included with the article.

Time (min)            Perceived Difficulty
                   (1-10 where 1= very easy, 10 = very difficult)
     3                              3 (warm-up)
     4                              5
     1                              7
     3                              5
     1                              8
     1                              5
     1                              9
     1                              5
     1                              9
     1                              5
     1                              9
     1                              5
     1                              9
     2                              5
     1                              8
     3                              5
     1                              7
     3                              3 (cool-down)

The authors cite research evidence for the advantages of this type of training over steady-rate endurance training. They include greater improvements in maximal rate at which oxygen can be used to produce energy, blood-vessel wall health, blood pressure, insulin action, and reduction of body fat deposited under the skin.

CAUTION: No-one should engage in an exercise program without first determining whether a doctor's clearance is needed first. See our Exercise Risk Questionnaire. Even if you are cleared for general exercise, you may not be ready yet for interval training, which should only be undertaken by people who are already well-conditioned. It is an intense form of exercise that puts considerable strain on the heart, lungs, muscles, and bones. Running intervals can easily cause muscle pulls or other musculoskeletal injuries, so very thorough pre-interval warm-ups are necessary. Cycling and rowing intervals involve less impact and peak force on the musculoskeletal system than running and are thus less likely to produce injury. However, any interval training must be approached with caution. Overtraining can occur with excessive high-intensity training. Symptoms include fatigue, decline in performance, unexpected weight loss, poor sleep, fast pulse, and lack of motivation. The key points are to start with a well-conditioned individual, warm up very thoroughly, and start at a moderate level of difficulty, increasing the intensity of intervals over a period of several weeks.

Places Where People Live Long - What They Have In Common

2010-01-26T13:01:00.003-05:00

Dan Buettner, in his book, "The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who've Lived the Longest" reveals the factors in common among cultures that have very long life expectancies. In his lecture, televised on CNN, he delves into the cultures of the highlands of Sardinia (which has the longest male life-expectancy), Okinawa (which has the longest female life-expectancy) and Seventh-Day Adventists (who have the longest life-expectancy in the U.S.). There are 9 factors that he states are common to all these societies:

Move Naturally
1) In these societies, people don't perform programmed exercise. They just exercise as part of their daily lives. Okinawans get up off the floor 40+ times a day. Sardinians walk and garden a lot. Seventh Day Adventists take nature walks regularly. The common denominator seems to be a large volume of low-level physical activity.

Right Outlook
2) Downshift daily: That means to take some time daily to calm down, meditate, contemplate, or pray.
3) Purpose now: Have a purpose in living, either work, taking care of others, creating something beautiful, etc.

Eating Wisely
4) Wine in moderation (although the 7th Day Adventists discourage alcohol consumption)
5) Plant-based diet: Meat may be consumed but in relatively small quantities.
6) 80% Full Rule: Stop eating when you feel 80% full.

Connect
7) Loved ones come first
8) Belong to supportive groups
9) Right Tribe: Associate with other people who have good living habits

Strength Training Helps Seniors in Daily Living Activities

2010-01-21T16:38:00.001-05:00

A study by Hanson et al., published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (vol 23, no 9, 2009) tested the effectiveness of strength training in improving the ability of elderly people to perform activities of daily living. 35 men and 65 women, all initially sedentary, were trained 3 times per week for 22 weeks on Keiser pneumatically-resisted machines. The first 10 weeks involved only knee extension training, but the routine for the final 12 weeks included knee-extension, chest press, seated row, seated leg curl, abdominal crunch, and alternating leg press. The subjects improved significantly in knee-extension strength and power, leg-press strength, and fat free mass. They also became significantly faster in functional activity tests such as a 20-foot walk, repetitive (5x) standing up from and sitting down on a chair, and getting up from a chair and walking 16 feet. Improvements in strength, power, and fat-free mass correlated positively with improvement in the functional activities. This study shows that resistance training can improve strength and power at any age and such changes lead to improvement in performance of daily life activities.

Balance Can Be Improved By Training

2010-01-06T11:53:00.004-05:00

A review by DiStefano, Clark and Padua of the effectiveness of balance training was published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (vol 23, no 9, pp. 2718-2731, 2009). The article assessed the effects of training on the following 3 types of balance:

Static balance on a stable surface: For example, holding a stable body posture while standing on one leg on a flat floor.

Static balance on an unstable surface: For example, holding a stable body posture while ice-skating on one leg (the skate is the unstable surface).

Dynamic balance: For example, performing a dismount from a balance beam or high bar and landing stably; snow-boarding; skiiing.

Effective Exercise for Improving Each Type of Balance
The following training methods were shown effective for improving the various types of balance when performed at least 10 minutes per day, 3 days per week, for 4 weeks.

For static balance on a stable surface:
     Wobble board (a board with a cylindrical roller under it)
     Ankle disc (a board with a hemispheric ball attached to the underside)
     Balance sandal (with a hemispheric ball under the midsole)

For static balance on an unstable surface:
     Wobble board
     Foam pad
     Balance trampoline
     Tilting platform
     Jump to hold (dynamic)

For dynamic balance:
     Wobble board
     Foam pad
     Balance trampoline
     Single leg balance with contralateral limb and trunk motion
     Single leg balance with external perturbations

NOTE: The authors stated that effective balance programs started with comfortable, less challenging exercises (e.g. static, on two legs, on stable surface, eyes open) and progressed, according to the individual's ability, to more challenging exercises (dynamic, on one leg, on unstable surface, eyes closed).

Visceral Fat

2009-12-15T14:31:00.000-05:00

Visceral fat is the fat around the abdominal organs. Because such fat is under the abdominal muscles, it cannot be detected by pinching the skin over the abdomen. In contrast, subcutaneous fat is located right under the skin and can be detected by a pinch and quantified by using a skinfold-caliper. Unfortunately, visceral fat is the most dangerous kind in that it produces hormones and inflammatory agents. Framingham heart study researchers reported that visceral rather than subcutaneous fat was associated with an indicator of cholesterol deposits in the aorta, the body's main artery.

Fortunately, exercise can have an impact on visceral fat. A study by Gary Hunter Ph.D., of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, showed that, among a group of women who lost an average of 24 lb by dieting, only those who stuck to an aerobic or strength-training exercise program of 40 minutes, twice a week, managed to keep off all of the visceral fat they lost. Those who did not exercise or who quit their exercise programs increased their visceral fat an average of 33% in the year following their weight loss.

Comparing weight training periodization programs

2009-12-15T11:49:00.002-05:00

Weight training periodization has been widely recognized by strength and conditioning coaches to be a more effective means of increasing strength than staying with the same combination of repetitions and resistance over an extended period of time. Periodization basically involves making programmed changes from time to time in the number of repetitions performed in each exercise set, along with an increase in barbell weight as repetitions are decreased, and a decrease in barbell weight as repetitions are increased.

Periodization may be of the linear variety, by which the athlete makes progressive changes in the weight/rep combination during every training block of 1 or more weeks. For example the athlete may do 10 reps with a lighter weight for 2 weeks, then 8 reps with increased weight for 2 weeks, then 6 reps with more weight for 2 weeks, followed by 4 reps with even more weight for 2 weeks. A single repetition max lift may then be attempted before returning to the 10-rep scheme. This cycle may be repeated over an extended time period. The athlete generally gets stronger between cycles so that the weight at all repetitions is adjusted upwards, resulting in a continued increase in strength. Even more complex periodization models have been developed by strength coaches. For example, in daily undulating periodization, the athlete may change the repetition/weight scheme within a single week, with other changes occurring over more extended time periods.

A recent article in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (Vol 23, no 9, pp 2437-2442, 2009) entitled, “Comparison between linear and daily undulating periodized resistance training to increase strength” by Prestes et al., compared these two regimens using 3 sets per exercise 4 times per week with 20 subjects in each training group. The linear program used 12, 10, 8, and 6 reps for a week each, repeating the entire cycle 3 times for a total of 12 weeks. The daily undulating program used 12 reps for half a week, 10 reps for the second half-week, 8 reps for the first half of the following week, and 6 reps for the second half-week. This pattern was repeated 6 times for a total of 12 weeks.

Although the results did not reach statistical significance because of individual differences in training response, the average increases in isometric strength (bench press, leg press, and arm curl) were considerably greater for the daily undulating periodization group than for the linear periodization group. This supports previous research showing the effectiveness of daily undulating periodization programs.

Heavy weight training improves running economy

2009-12-03T11:01:00.001-05:00

Previous research has shown that weight-training improved the running economy of distance runners. To further explore this phenomenon, recent research was undertaken to find out if traditional weight training or explosive weight training had different degrees of effectiveness for increasing running economy. An article entitled, "Effects of strength training on running economy" by Guglielmo, Greco, and Denadai of the Human Performance Laboratory, UNESP, Rio Claro, Brazil, published in the International Journal of Sports Med. in January 2009, presented the results of a study. Sixteen well-trained runners engaged in either traditional heavy weight training or explosive weight training, all for 4 weeks on the same equipment. They were then tested while running on a treadmill to see how much oxygen per unit body weight they used to run at a set speed. Only the group that trained traditionally improved in running economy. The observed 7% increase in economy could translate to a marked increase in running speed sustained over a distance. This study demonstrates that weight training can be beneficial for endurance athletes as well as strength and power athletes.

The Magic of Interval Training

2009-11-18T22:50:00.009-05:00

The evidence continues to mount that interval training is very effective in a number of ways. For those not familiar with interval training, it involves short bouts of intense exercise (usually running, cycling or rowing) interspersed with longer periods of light exercise. An example involving running would be to warm up thoroughly first, then run a quarter-mile (~400m) at 85-90% of max speed, then walk or jog an eighth-mile (~200 m), repeating the run/walk cycle for 8-10 repetitions followed by a warm-down. There are many variations of interval training, and some involve even shorter bursts of intense exercise (e.g. 200m runs).

A recent article in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (Tanisho and Hirakawa, vol 23, no. 8, 2009, pages 2405-2410) reinforces the efficacy of interval training. The subjects were 18 Japanese male lacrosse players who trained 3 days/wk for 15 weeks on an exercise cycle. The continuous-training (CT) group pedaled continuously for 20-25 minutes, while the intermittent-training group (IT) alternated 10-second max-speed pedaling with 20-second easy pedaling, for a total of 10 intervals (total time = 5 minutes). There was also a control group that did no training. Interestingly, the IT group improved almost as much (10%) in the maximal oxygen uptake test (gold standard of aerobic fitness) as the CT group (12%). However, only the IT group improved in maximal power output. The IT group was also the only one to improve in fatigability, measured as the ability to maintain cycling power output over 10 intervals of 10-second max-speed pedaling interspersed with 40-second recovery periods.

One would have to conclude that the interval training produced amazing results. The 5-minute interval training sessions produced almost as much increase in aerobic capability as 20-25 minutes of endurance training. Yet the interval training also produced significant gains in maximum power and in resistance to fatigue from repeated intense exertions bouts. IT was a truly remarkable and time-efficient form of training.

This type of training is clearly advantageous for most team sports, which generally involve short bursts of intense activity interspersed with mild-to-moderate activity. The effectiveness of the interval training supports the concept of Specificity of Training, by which training is most effective when it reflects important aspects of the sport in which improvement is sought. Distance running is not effective for most team-sport athletes because it has been shown to actually reduce max power output, needed for jumping and sprinting. Thus long runs are only recommended for athletes in endurance sports.

A word of caution is in order. No-one should engage in an exercise program without first determining whether a doctor's clearance is needed first. See our Exercise Risk Questionnaire. Even if you are cleared for general exercise, you may not be ready yet for interval training, which should only be undertaken by people who are already well-conditioned. It is an intense form of exercise that puts considerable strain on the heart, lungs, muscles, and bones. Running intervals can easily cause muscle pulls or other musculoskeletal injuries, so very thorough pre-interval warmups are necessary. Cycling and rowing intervals involve less impact and peak force on the musculoskeletal system than running and are thus less likely to produce injury. However, any interval training must be approached with caution. The key points are to start with a well-conditioned individual, warm up very thoroughly, and start at a moderate level of difficulty, increasing the intensity of intervals over a period of several weeks.

An Effective Stretch for Hamstring Flexibility

2009-11-17T18:14:00.000-05:00

An article in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (Vol. 23, no. 2, 2009, pages 660-667) described the comparison of various hamstring stretching techniques done for 30 seconds, 5 days per week. There were 100 subjects ranging in age from 21 to 57. The most effective stretch over the 8 weeks for lengthening the hamstrings was a straight-leg passive stretch. For this stretch, a protruding corner of a wall, a tall piece of furniture or other object is needed. The subject lies on the floor with the crotch at the corner and, with both knees completely straight, keeps the inner surface of one leg on the floor next to the wall and raises the other leg as close to vertical as possible, resting the heel against the other wall forming the protruding corner. This position is held for 30 seconds. Then the subject repositions to stretch the other leg similarly. In each subsequent session, the subject tries to bring the stretched leg more vertical by getting closer to the wall. The passive stretch was more effective than an active stretch in which the subject's hip flexor muscles, rather than a wall, were used to pull the leg toward vertical.

The study must not have included extremely flexible people like dancers and gymnasts who, while keeping one leg flat on the ground, can easily raise the other straight leg beyond 90 degrees. However, such athletes can hold a passive straight-leg position beyond 90 degrees by either having a partner hold the leg or by using a strap to hold the leg in position themselves.

Vitamin D and Your Health

2009-11-16T15:33:00.001-05:00

The information in this article is from the November 2009 issue of the Nutrition Action Health Letter, published by the Center for Science in the Public interest.

While several different studies have linked higher blood levels of Vitamin D to lower levels of various cancers, some studies have shown no effect at all. Therefore, larger clinical trials with many more participants are needed to definitively show that Vitamin D decreases the risk of cancer.

The ability of Vitamin D to reduce heart attack and stroke risk is more firmly established. The vitamin works by suppressing potentially harmful hormones and reducing inflammation in the walls of arteries. It also appears to lower blood pressure. And because of its bone-building effects, Vitamin D (at least 700 IU per day) reduces the risk of bone fracture and has reduced the risk of falls by 20%, possibly by improving the ability of muscles to take preventive action when a fall in imminent. Another apparent benefit of Vitamin D is that, when taken with calcium, it slows the rise of blood sugar, thus reducing the risk of Type II diabetes.

Considering its apparent benefits, the Center recommendas 700 to 1,000 IU of vitamin D a day, which is much higher than the standard multivitamin dose of 400 IU. Supplements are particularly important for people living at northern latitudes as, in winter, the angle of the sun in cities north of Atlanta and Los Angeles is such that even direct sun exposure does not bring about the manufacture of appreciable amounts of Vitamin D.

Health Benefits of Cocoa

2009-11-11T17:28:00.000-05:00

Evidence keeps coming on the benefits of chocolate. A Spanish study of 47 subjects aged 55 and older showed that those who drank skim milk with cocoa powder had less inflammation of their blood vessels and an increased HDL level. Inflammation of the vessels is implicated in arterial disease, so reduced inflammation is a positive change. HDL ("good cholesterol") removes cholesterol from the blood vessel walls - so the more, the better. The lower the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL, the lower the risk of heart disease. A ratio of lower than 3.0 is ideal. This study reinforces previous evidence that moderate chocolate consumption helps keep arterial walls healthy. But be careful about which chocolate or cocoa you buy. Dark chocolate is best, and you should look for brands that list chocolate liquor or cocoa mass as the first ingredient. If you buy a brand that lists the percent cocoa mass, look for at least 50%. It's also wise to avoid brands that add milk fat, which unnecessarily raises the saturated fat and cholesterol content of the bar.

A Recent Study on Plyometric Exercise

2009-11-10T14:11:00.000-05:00

A recent article in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (Volume 23, no. 2, 2009, pages 495-506) analyzed the combined results of 56 studies of plyometric (bounce) training to determine what exercises were most effective in improving jump height. Increases in the neighborhood of 7% were observed after good plyometric training programs. The combination of squat jumps (jumping up from a static squatting position), countermovement jumps (starting from a standing position, then quickly dipping into a bent-knee position before jumping up) and drop jumps (jumping down to the ground from a box, then jumping up) provided the most improvement in jump height. Adding weight to the body using a vest or other means was not better than jumping with bodyweight alone. Also, weight training in combination with plometric exercise did not result in more improvement than plyometrics alone. Programs of 10 or more weeks were more effective than shorter programs. Programs of more than 20 total sessions of 50+ jumps per session were better than shorter programs of lower volume. Box height (e.g. 6" vs 12") for drop jumps didn't matter. The most experienced athletes improved the most. Improvement was seen even in subjects of low initial fitness level.

A word of caution is in order. Most of the subjects in these studies were of college age and many had been physically active before their studies. Plyometric exercise can result in high forces on muscles and tendons, and injury risk is higher than with slow, steady exercises. Plyometric programs should only begin at a very low level, particularly for those people who have been relatively inactive and those above 35 years of age. More gentle plyometric exercises for the beginner include gentle, submaximal hops and jumps. Running itself is a plyometric exercise, especially when running faster in short intervals interspersed with walking or jogging. Tendons and ligaments take a very long time to build up strength, much more than muscles do, so patience is the key word. The intensity and volume of plyometric workouts should only be increased very gradually, and more advanced exercises, like drop jumps, should only be added after a relatively high jump-strength level is attained.

1-2 Alcoholic Drinks Per Day May Thwart Dementia

2009-11-05T15:36:00.000-05:00

A study was described in the Tufts Health and Nutrition Letter of October 2009 relating alcohol consumption to dementia (deterioration of mental ability). The study, by Dr. Kaycee Sink of Wake Forest University found that of 3,069 test subjects, all of whom were over age 75, those who drank 1-2 alcoholic beverages per day were 37% less likely than non-drinkers to develop dementia within 5 years. However, of those subject who already showed some mental impairment, those drinking 3 or more alcoholic beverages per day were almost twice as likely as non-drinkers to develop dementia. Health authorities caution that non-drinkers should not start drinking to improve their health risk profile. However, 1-2 drinks per day also decreases risk of heart disease. The drawbacks of even this level of drinking are that alcohol tends to reduce a man’s testosterone level and any alcohol at all increases a woman’s risk of breast cancer.

A Healthy Lifestyle Can Trump Prescription Drugs

2009-11-02T17:03:00.000-05:00

All of the people described below are real, but their names are not menioned to protect their privacy.

We're often amazed when someone who has always been involved in sports and fitness seeks a prescription drug solution to a health problem without making a serious attempt to solve the problem by natural means. One example is a man who had competed at the national level in an endurance sport, and later coached the sport for many years while still competing individually at a more modest level. He also ran regularly to keep in shape and competed seriously in some distance running events. As he got into his late 40’s he developed some musculoskeletal problems and switched to mainly low-impact endurance activities for fitness. However, he enjoyed rich foods and, while of slim build, developed a modest but noticeable pot belly. He mentioned that his cholesterol level had been high and he was currently on regular Lipitor treatment. He also talked about how he had gotten into cooking and described some of the high-fat dishes he had been preparing. He was spotted several times eating piles of French fries and giant cookies he bought regularly at his workplace cafeteria. Our thought was, “Why doesn’t he just try to eat a healthy diet somewhat lower in calories and saturated fat?” A loss of 10-15 pounds along a lower intake of saturated fat would very likely normalize his cholesterol level. But no - drugs were an easier solution. That is probably why Lipitor is the most prescribed drug in the U.S. (http://www.rxlist.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=79437).

A man recognized as an international authority on exercise and sport was asked if he was watching his sodium intake. He responded, “No, but my blood pressure was high and I’m on blood pressure medication.” Again we were surprised that this man opted for the drug solution instead of watching his diet. He had been a competitive athlete from grade-school through college and remained very physically active for decades. Why didn't he just watch his sodium intake?

A third man exercises avidly and competes seriously in various endurance sports. Training for fitness and competition is almost a religion to him. However, he readily admits his diet is terrible and includes lots of soda and salted snacks. Despite the great amount of endurance exercise he does, he was diagnosed with metabolic syndrome (http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4756) characterized by excess fat around the waist, low HDL level, high blood pressure, high triglyceride level, and insulin resistance. As a result, his doctor put him on a multi-drug regimen, which he will probably remain on indefinitely. We couldn’t help but think that if he reduced his caloric intake a bit and lowered his intake of simple sugars and salty foods, his symptoms would likely disappear. But somehow, he wouldn’t even consider that.

A man in his mid-forties who had been quite strong in the weight room, later added distance running into his fitness program, and successfully completed a marathon. At that time he was in great cardiovascular and muscular condition. However, he sustained a calf injury and stopped running regularly. Another injury limited the weight lifting exercises he could do. Overall, his exercise program became irregular. Over a period of months he developed a good-sized potbelly that was quite obvious despite being partially hidden by a wide leather weightlifting belt. He mentioned that his cholesterol level had become elevated and he had gotten on regular Lipitor treatment. We knew he would probably not need the drug if he just lost his potbelly.

Admittedly, the medical establishment treats Lipitor and other statins as wonder drugs and there have been few reported side-effects beyond muscle weakness and pain in some individuals. However, our feeling is that the natural way, if effective, is always preferable. Even with statin drugs, we don’t really know what the negative side effects might be over several years. Other drugs used to treat lifestyle-related health problems have widely-known negative side effects (e.g. blood pressure drugs: http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=2141).

Our conclusion: Try natural solutions to health problems when they have been proven effective. It just takes some effort and self-discipline. We are by no means condoning unproven and possibly dangerous treatments such as shark cartilage for cancer or bowel cleansing to cure a wide variety of ailments. For serious illnesses, it is best to follow standard medical treatment backed by clinical trials. Yet for health problems related to lifestyle, such as obesity, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high total cholesterol and low HDL, a regimen of healthy diet and exercise is usually the best solution. Being healthy is often just a matter of will.

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