Dose-Response Effects of Exercise and Testosterone Replacement Therapy on Body Composition, Lean Mass, and Heart Rate Responses: A Case Report Using Wearable Technology.

The case report explores the effects of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) on body composition, lean muscle mass, and fat mass, based on the dosage of TRT and exercise intensity in a 40-year-old male. The purpose of this case study was to evaluate the dose-response relationship of TRT and exercise on muscle hypertrophy and fat loss over an eight-month period, using a validated wrist-worn wearable fitness tracker to measure daily physical activity and heart rate (HR)-based exercise intensity. The patient, a trained male with 25 years of consistent exercise experience, reported notable declines in strength and increases in body fat despite maintaining a regular workout routine.

Positional Differences in Jump Loads and Force and Velocity Metrics Throughout a 16-Week Division I Volleyball Season.

The study quantified total and high-intensity jump counts and assessed neuromuscular performance through countermovement jump (CMJ) force and velocity metrics by position. Twelve Division I female athletes (19.6 ± 1.

Countermovement Jumps and Acute to Chronic Workload Ratios in Low, Moderate, and High Jump Load Groups Throughout a Division I Volleyball Season.

Sanders, GJ, Skodinski, S, Cabarkapa, DV, Howard, M, Cabarkapa, D, Kollock, RO, and Peacock, CA. Countermovement jumps and acute to chronic workload ratios in low, moderate, and high jump load groups throughout a Division I volleyball season. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2024-The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effects of low, moderate, and high jump loads on the acute to chronic workload ratio (ACWR) and neuromuscular fatigue throughout a Division I volleyball season.

The Effect of Daily Heart Rate Workloads on Preseason, Midseason, and Postseason Oxygen Consumption in Division I Basketball.

Howard, M, Sanders, GJ, Kollock, RO, Peacock, CA, and Freire, R. The effect of daily heart rate workloads on preseason, midseason, and postseason oxygen consumption in Division I basketball. J Strength Cond Res 38(4): 704-708, 2024-Basketball is a dynamic sport, requiring athletes to elicit a high-level of physical, tactical, technical, and psychological attributes and athletes must possess a robustly trained aerobic energy system.

Weight cutting in female UFC fighters.

Background: It is common practice for fight sport athletes to use a variety of weight manipulation strategies to compete in desired weight classes. Although numerous studies have highlighted rapid weight loss (RWL) strategies and the magnitude of weight loss, few have focused specifically on weight loss in female fighters. The purpose of this study was to provide descriptive information on professional UFC female fighters engaging in RWL in all women's UFC weight divisions: strawweight (52.

Dysregulation of miR-155 Expression in Professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Fighters.

Psychological and physical stress can induce dysregulation of gene expression via changes in DNA methylation and microRNA (miRNA) expression. Such epigenetic modifications are yet to be investigated in professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighters subject to highly stressful training involving repetitive head impacts. This study examined differences in DNA methylation and miRNA expression in elite MMA fighters compared to active controls.

The Dark Triad and Professional Fighters: Destigmatizing Male Combat Athletes.

Personality characteristics have long been studied in relation to athletes and their performance. Of these, emotional self-regulation has been determined to be an important factor regarding outcomes for athletes. Various research has examined the Dark Triad (Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy) among other personality traits in athletes.

Weight Loss and Competition Weight in Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Athletes.

Previous research has demonstrated that professional mixed martial arts (MMA) athletes employ a variety of weight manipulation strategies to compete at given weight classes. Although there is much literature demonstrating weight manipulation methods, minimal research exists analyzing how much weight MMA athletes lose prior to the official weigh-in. Moreover, there is minimal research examining how much weight professional MMA athletes gain between the official weigh-in and competition.

An Evaluation of the Effects of a Non-caffeinated Energy Dietary Supplement on Cognitive and Physical Performance: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study.

A large and growing body of research shows that non-caffeinated plant-based nutritional supplements can increase cognitive and physical performance. This study aimed to build on this work by investigating the possibility that a specific botanical blend (consisting of bacosides, methoxy flavones, pomegranate peel polyphenols, and Moringa oleifera leaf saponins) could improve cognitive and physical performance. To this end, we carried out a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled 21-day parallel study on 36 healthy adults.

The "Warrior" COMT Val/Met Genotype Occurs in Greater Frequencies in Mixed Martial Arts Fighters Relative to Controls.

A functional single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene (rs4680) is a gene variant that has been shown to predict the ability to maintain cognitive agility during combat and competition. Critically, COMT Met (low-activity; high dopamine) allele carriers outperform Val (high-activity; low dopamine) homozygotes on a variety of cognitive tasks. However, the relationship between genotype and cognitive performance appears to reverse under stressful conditions.

Variability of Competition-Based Caloric Expenditure and Relative Heart Rates in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Women's Basketball.

Sanders, GJ, Boos, B, Rhodes, J, Peacock, CA, Kollock, RO, and Scheadler, CM. Variability of competition-based caloric expenditure and relative heart rates in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I women's basketball. J Strength Cond Res 36(1): 162-166, 2022-Basketball athletes frequently engage in high intensities (≥85% HRpeak) throughout competition, and it is unknown how high-intensity play coincides with caloric expenditure and average and peak relative heart rates.

Assessment of the FTO gene polymorphisms (rs1421085, rs17817449 and rs9939609) in exercise-trained men and women: the effects of a 4-week hypocaloric diet.

Background: Variations in the fat mass and obesity-associated gene (FTO) are associated with obesity; however, it is unclear if changes in energy intake affect the adaptive response to caloric restriction in those with risk variants. The three FTO single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), rs1421085, rs17817449 and rs9939609, are in strong linkage disequilibrium. Thus, the purpose of this investigation was to determine the role of these FTO SNPs vis-à-vis the effects of a 4-week hypocaloric diet on body composition in exercise-trained men and women.

The Effects of an Energy Drink on Psychomotor Vigilance in Trained Individuals.

The psychomotor vigilance test (PVT) measures one's behavioral alertness. It is a visual test that involves measuring the speed at which a person reacts to visual stimuli over a fixed time frame (e.g.

Factors associated with minimal changes in countermovement jump performance throughout a competitive division I collegiate basketball season.

The purpose of the study was to assess factors that contribute to countermovement jump (CMJ) performance in women's basketball athletes. Thirteen female athletes participated and were tested for maximal oxygen uptake (VO) and heart rate (HR). Athletes were monitored, daily for a total of 21 weeks with heart rate-based wearable devices and CMJ performance and body weight were tested weekly after one day of recovery.

Comparison of Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) Versus a Multi-Frequency Bioelectrical Impedance (InBody 770) Device for Body Composition Assessment after a 4-Week Hypoenergetic Diet.

The purpose of this investigation was to compare two different methods of assessing body composition (i.e., a multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis (MF-BIA) and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA)) over a four-week treatment period in exercise-trained men and women.

Sleep Data, Physical Performance, and Injuries in Preparation for Professional Mixed Martial Arts.

The purpose of this investigation is to present observational data regarding sleep variables in professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) athletes. These sleep performance measures were related to physical performance and injury in MMA athletes. Eight professional athletes were placed into a quasi-controlled, multivariable fight-camp environment for a six-week period in preparation for fight competition.

Competition-Based Heart Rate, Training Load, and Time Played Above 85% Peak Heart Rate in NCAA Division I Women's Basketball.

Sanders, GJ, Boos, B, Rhodes, J, Kollock, RO, and Peacock, CA. Competition-based heart rate, training load, and time played above 85% peak heart rate in NCAA division I women's basketball. J Strength Cond Res 35(4): 1095-1102, 2021-Basketball athletes frequently engage in intensities ≥85% HRpeak throughout competition.

Bilateral Asymmetries in Ultrasound Assessments of the Rectus Femoris throughout an NCAA Division I Volleyball Preseason.

The purpose of the study was to assess glycogen content of the rectus femoris (RF) muscles utilizing high-frequency ultrasound throughout an intensive, nine-day preseason training period in NCAA division I volleyball athletes. In the morning prior to the beginning of practice, athletes (n = 13) left and right RF muscles were assessed via ultrasound to quantify muscle fuel ratings (0⁻100 score range). The recommended location of the RF ultrasound scans were based on manufacturer guidelines, and the same technician recorded the daily measurements.

Maximum Movement Workloads and High-Intensity Workload Demands by Position in NCAA Division I Collegiate Football.

Sanders, GJ, Roll, B, Peacock, CA, and Kollock, RO. Maximum movement workloads and high-intensity workload demands by position in NCAA Division I collegiate football. J Strength Cond Res 34(7): 1974-1981, 2020-The purpose of the study was to quantify the average and maximum (i.

High protein consumption in trained women: bad to the bone?

Background: It has been posited that the consumption of extra protein (> 0.8 g/kg/d) may be deleterious to bone mineral content. However, there is no direct evidence to show that consuming a high-protein diet results in a demineralization of the skeleton.

Maximum Distance and High-Speed Distance Demands by Position in NCAA Division I Collegiate Football Games.

The purpose of the study was to quantify the average and maximum distances traveled by National Collegiate Athletic Association division I football athletes during competitive games. Using global positioning system devices (Catapult Sports), total and low-, moderate-, and high-speed distances were quantified by each position. Understanding maximal workloads can enhance conditioning practice periodization protocols.

Casein Protein Supplementation in Trained Men and Women: Morning versus Evening.

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effects of casein supplementation (54 grams) in the morning (Casein-MOR) or evening (Casein-EVE) (90 minutes or less prior to sleep) on measures of body composition and exercise performance in trained men and women. Twenty-six healthy men and women who had been training regularly for greater than 12 months completed this 8-week study (meanSD; Casein-MOR group [n=14, seven male, seven female]: 30.08.

Aerobic Capacity is Related to Repeated Sprint Ability with Sprint Distances Less Than 40 Meters.

Research is inconclusive regarding the association between aerobic fitness (objectively measured VO) and repeated sprint performance when the sprints are less than 40 meters. Soccer athletes must be able to repeat sprints without significant decreases in speed and strength and conditioning coaches need to better understand if aerobic fitness is related to repeated sprint ability (RSA). Twenty (10 male, 10 female) Division I soccer athletes first completed a graded maximal treadmill test to measure VO.

A High Protein Diet Has No Harmful Effects: A One-Year Crossover Study in Resistance-Trained Males.

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effects of a high protein diet over a one-year period. Fourteen healthy resistance-trained men completed the study (mean ± SD; age 26.3 ± 3.

Pilot physiology, cognition and flight performance during flight simulation exposed to a 3810-m hypoxic condition.

Background: Hypoxia is a physiological state defined as a reduction in the distribution of oxygen to the tissues of the body. It has been considered a major factor in aviation safety worldwide because of its potential for pilot disorientation. Pilots are able to operate aircrafts up to 3810 m without the use of supplemental oxygen and may exhibit symptoms associated with hypoxia.