Incremental effects of 28 days of beta-alanine supplementation on high-intensity cycling performance and blood lactate in masters female cyclists.

Within the aging population, there exists a subset of individuals termed masters athletes (MA). As masters-level competition increases in popularity, MA must find methods to enhance individual athletic performance. Longitudinal beta-alanine (BA) supplementation is suggested to enhance physical capability during exercise; however, these effects have not been evaluated in MA.

Effects of 28-Day Beta-Alanine Supplementation on Isokinetic Exercise Performance and Body Composition in Female Masters Athletes.

Beta-alanine (BA) supplementation increases exercise performance due to increases in the intramuscular lactate buffer, carnosine. Females are more sensitive to these increases and results are further pronounced in trained individuals. Baseline intramuscular carnosine levels also naturally decrease with age; therefore, trained older females may experience augmented benefits from BA supplementation.

Physical activity and osteoporotic fracture among older women.

Objective: To determine the importance of physical activity in the occurrence of osteoporotic fracture and to examine the impact of exercise frequency on osteoporotic fracture among a national sample of women aged 50 years and older.

Design And Setting: This study involved female participants in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), Phase 1.

Subjects: The sample consisted of 2,325 women aged 50 years and older who were interviewed for Phase 1 of NHANES III.

Exercise intervention designed to improve strength and dynamic balance among community-dwelling older adults.

Loss of balance and falling are critical concerns for older adults. Physical activity can improve balance and decrease the risk of falling. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a simple, low-cost exercise program for community-dwelling older adults.

Comparison of two exercise programs on general well-being of college students.

Responses to life stressors are associated with negative behaviors that may increase risk for illness and injury. The effect of high intensity exercise in reducing reactivity to psychological stress has been well documented among older people. The purpose of this study was to ascertain the effect of weight-training versus aerobic dance on psychological stress in college students.

Bone densitometry in assessment of bone mineral density.

Osteoporosis is a serious disease characterized by low bone mineral density. Osteoporosis affects 24 million people annually and may be responsible for devastating hip, wrist and spinal fractures. Bone mineral density is considered the best predictor for osteoporotic fracture.

Relationships among strength, endurance, weight and body fat during three phases of the menstrual cycle.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships among body weight, body fat, and dynamic strength and muscular endurance during different phases of the menstrual cycle. Twenty-one female subjects, ages 18-36, with normal menstrual cycles and no dysfunction were tested for strength and endurance of the knee flexors and extensors on a Cybex II isokinetic dynamometer. Body weight and percent body fat were also assessed.

Dynamic strength and work variations during three stages of the menstrual cycle.

The purpose of this article was to investigate the effects of three different phases of the menstrual cycle on dynamic strength and work performance of the knee flexors and extensors. Twenty-one women (18-36 years of age) were tested for dynamic strength and endurance on a Cybex II isokinetic dynamometer at speeds of 60, 180, and 240 degrees /sec. Each subject was tested within 24 hours from the onset of the menses, at the time of ovulation, and during the luteal phase.

Peak torque values of the knee extensor and flexor muscles of females.

Two hundred and forty-one females between the ages of 18 and 28 years were subjects for this study. Subjects were tested for knee extension and knee flexion on a Cybex(R) II isokinetic dynamometer at 60 degrees /sec using a modified seating arrangement which placed the back rest at 20 from the vertical. To familiarize subjects with the Cybex II, two practice trials of complete extension and flexion were allowed.