Researchers at the University of Edinburgh just found that 12 to 14 year olds can play 24% longer at a high intensity if they consume isotonic drinks (like Gatorade).

The study showed that drinking a 6% carbohydrate – electrolyte solution improved the young athletes endurance capacity but did not make the kids run any faster. The isotonic drink was made up of carbohydrate, sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium. This 6% solution was shown to enhance hydration and prevent dehydration while supplying calories to the body helping improve endurance capacity.

Dr John Sproule who headed up the study said:

“The importance of hydration to improve performance during exercise for adults is well known.

“This research helps us further understand how adolescents respond to hydration and energy supply during exercise.

“The consumption of a carbohydrate-electrolyte solution was found to significantly enhance endurance capacity during simulated games play, and this could contribute to improved performance in adolescents.”

This study really shows the importance of keeping your kids well hydrated with a isotonic drink like Gatorade or PowerAde when they are playing competitive endurance sports. It appears that consuming sports drinks makes more sense than drinking only water. The next time your child has a game make sure he or she starts drinking a sports drink before, during and after the game.

The findings are published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology and reported by Science Daily.

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Best – Mike Cola

Fitness Contrarian

At least one in ten athletes in the 2010 Winter Olympics was injured. The British Journal of Sports Medicine just published a report listing the winter sports that cause the most injuries, the winter sports that cause the least injuries and what the most common winter sport injuries are.

The top five high-risk winter sports are:

• Bobsled
• Ice Hockey
• Short Track
• Alpine Freestyle
• Snowboard Cross

During the 2010 Winter Olympics one in eight athletes (15%) injured themselves playing the sports listed above. One in four of the athlete’s injuries were bad enough where they could not compete or train.

The lowest risk winter sports are:

• Biathlon
• Cross Country Skiing
• Luge
• Curling
• Speed Skating
• Free Style Moguls

Only one in twenty of the athletes were injured in the sports listed above. Unfortunately one person died while training for the luge.

The most common parts of the body to injure during winter sports are:

• Head
• Spine
• Knees

The most common type of winter sport injuries are:

• Bruising
• Ligament and Muscle Sprains

What was interesting is that almost as many injuries occurred during training as did during competition . Women were injured on average a little more than men and the most risky sport in the 2010 Winter Olympics was short track. One in three men was injured either training or competing in short track. The authors of this report suggest that the actual numbers are most likely higher. Many athletes don’t report their injuries.

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Best – Mike Cola

Fitness Contrarian

It’s hard to explain why people who drink seem to live longer than people who do not drink. A new study that was reported by Time and published in the journal called Alcoholism, said that for some reason that is unknown, abstaining from drinking alcohol increases your risk of dying. What was more surprising is that the mortality rate was higher for non-drinkers than for even heavy drinkers.  (Moderate drinking is considered one to three drinks per day.)

We have all read about the benefits of drinking red wine for the antioxidants and heart health benefits but for drinkers to live longer then non-drinkers is really hard to explain.  Some of the researchers feel that non-drinkers have higher rates of depression then drinkers. Non-drinkers don’t join in on the party on a social level.

The authors of the paper want to make sure that you don’t get the wrong idea and start drinking heavily. Drinking too much can ruin your life with addiction and other irresponsible behavior that can get you into trouble.

That being said, this study may be the strongest evidence that having a glass of wine or two to relax and have some fun might make you live a little longer.

If you are concerned about what is the Best Alcoholic Drink When You’re Dieting, check out this article by Tome Venuto. Tom did a Question and Answer guest post on my blog a few months ago.  Read it and let me know if you like it.

Tom Vento has one of the best selling weight loss e-books of all time on the Internet.

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Best – Mike Cola

Fitness Contrarian

Research from the University of Exeter just reported that taking a supplement that increases the nitric oxide in your body could significantly boost your stamina during high-intensity exercise.

Exeter first started their research with beet juice and showed how the high content of nitrate in beet juice can boost your nitric oxide level and lead to an increase in performance.

The supplement used in this study is Ark 1, which is made up of L-arginine an amino acid, which enhances the production of nitric oxide in the body. The study took two groups; one was given a placebo drink and the other the Ark 1(L-arginine rich) drink.

The researches concluded that the supplement:

• Improved very high intensity exercise endurance by 20%
• Reduced systolic blood pressure
• Decreased the oxygen cost of exercise

These findings were published online by Science Daily & the Journal of Applied Physiology.

Andrew Jones, from the University’s School of Sport and Health Sciences, said: “The research found that when the dietary supplement was used there was a striking increase in performance by altering the use of oxygen during exercise.

“This is important for endurance athletes as we would expect the supplement to bring a 1-2% improvement in race times. While this may seem small, this is a very meaningful improvement — particularly at elite levels where small gains can be the difference between winning and losing.”

It looks like L-arginine and beet juice can both possibly increase your high intensity performance with the added kicker of lowering your blood pressure. I will be keeping my eyes open for more conclusive research on the benefits of drinking beet juice or taking an L-arginine supplement.

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Best – Mike Cola

Demystifying Fitness

Two studies just came out. One about the benefits of eating foods high in Vitamin E to lower your risk of developing dementia and another talking about the risk of Vitamin D deficiencies in older adults.

1. Foods Rich in Vitamin E Lowers Your Dementia Risk

Eating foods high in Vitamin E appears to lower your risk of dementia.  These findings were reported in a recent issue of Archives of Neurology.

Cells are damaged by oxidative stress from exposure to oxygen. Researchers believe that oxidative stress plays a role in developing dementia. The authors of the study wrote,  “The brain is a site of high metabolic activity, which makes it vulnerable to oxidative damage, and slow accumulation of such damage over a lifetime may contribute to the development of dementia”.  They also stated,  “Vitamin E is a powerful fat-soluble antioxidant that may help to inhibit the pathogenesis of dementia.”

The study revealed that the participants who eat the most Vitamin E in foods like butter, cooking fat, mayonnaise, soybean oil and margarine had a 25% less chance of developing dementia.

2. Vitamin D Deficiencies can be linked to Cognitive Decline in Older Adults

Adults 65 or older with low levels of Vitamin D have a greater chance of developing a decline in thinking, memory and learning, according to a report in a recent issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

The article pointed out that 40 to 100% of older adults are deficient in Vitamin D.  These Vitamin D deficiencies can be linked to fractures, various chronic diseases and death. The report also talked about how Vitamin D may help the degeneration of brain tissue by helping in the formation of nervous tissue.

The participants who were the most deficient in Vitamin D were 60% more likely to have substantial cognitive decline.

Foods high in Vitamin E

• Mustard greens
• Chard
• Sunflower seeds
• Almonds
• Spinach

Foods high in Vitamin D

• Cod liver oil
• Salmon
• Sardines
• Cod
• Shrimp
• Eggs

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Best – Mike Cola

Demystifying Nutrition