Duke "Study" on Enlyten

More on Enlyten

Duke University conducted a series of tests with Enlyten. They concluded that IV's of its football players decreased by 75 percent by using Enlyten

This is the extent of "research" I have found related to Enlyten. Gee I wonder if they controlled for fluid intake while making this observation.

Good article here on Enlyten as a potential threat to Gatorade.

Enlyten Sports Strips-Testimonials

Enlyten Strips are in the news! If you haven't heard, Enlyten now offer electrolytes, appetite suppressant, calorie burners, antioxidants, energy, and melatonin. Just stick one of the strips on the inside of your mouth and the product absorbs directly into the blood stream.

Check out the list of testimonials I will remain a skeptic until a lab somewhere can demonstrate benefit (what a great project for an exercise physiology masters thesis!)

Caffeine Improves Symptoms of Exercise Induced Asthma

An Indiana University study found that the ingestion of caffeine within an hour of exercise can reduce the symptoms of exercise induced asthma (EIA). sciencedaily.com

MY COMMENT: No idea what the connection might be- this was presented at the ACSM conference in May.

Does Stretching Help or Hurt Runners?

I knew Harry Wilson (Ovett’s coach) well, and John Anderson (Dave Moorcroft and Liz McColgan’s coach) very well indeed - and I listened as much to them as vice versa. For example, I separately asked them both - around the late 70’s - what place stretching and flexibility training had in their coaching - of Seb and Dave (Moorcroft) among others. And both said exactly the same thing. “Flexibility training makes runners go more slowly.” article by Pat Butcher on globerunner.org

MY COMMENT: Interesting! I still think flexibility gains importance the older you are- particularly in and around the hip area. I can't say first hand but I've read that Kenyans do plenty of stretching- doesn't appear to slow them down!

Explosive Leg Strength Drops With Training

"...Lou Castognola, a 2:17 marathoner in 1967, was found to have a vertical jump of only 12 inches. Following the 1968 Oly Trials, he stopped training and led a rather sedentary life. Three years later we re-examined him and found that while his VO2 max had declined from 78 ml/kg to 48 ml/kg, his vertical jump had increased to 20 inches. Thus despite a lack of regular physical activity, his explosive leg strength had increased 77%." quote from The Athlete Within, Dr. David Costill

My Comment: Today I might not be able to hit 12", but the question is if Lou did drills and other exercises to improve his vertical jump when he was fit, would he have run a faster marathon? Most experts think so.

Music and Running

The traditional work we’ve done in this area is when you are training at 75 per cent of your maximum heart rate, music reduces the perception of effort by 10 per cent. The other thing we found, in our most recent study, is that it was previously thought music only influenced mood up until 75 per cent of your max but we showed that if you carefully select the music it can enhance you right up to exhaustion – even with an elite athlete. So although it won’t impact on how fatigued you feel at a high intensity – it colours your interpretation of fatigue. It makes fatigue more pleasurable -spikes

MY COMMENT: I guess this means I am losing the battle that opposes the use of iPods while running.

Hornet Juice for your Next Marathon?

"The women's marathon winner at the Sydney Olympics has revealed the secret of her success - she drank the stomach juices of giant, killer hornets that fly 100km a day at up to 25 km/hour. Naoko Takahashi, from Japan, consumed the hornet juice during training and the race itself after scientists discovered that it had astonishing powers to boost human stamina." -New York Times

The website (hornetjuice.com)cites studies that found "the mice that drank Vaam could swim almost twice as long as those drinking only water, and 25 percent longer than those drinking supplements containing casein, a protein found in milk. The blood of the mice drinking Vaam contained fewer fatty acids, an indication of how efficiently the body is burning fat, than that of mice drinking casein, glucose or water, the studies showed. The level of lactic acid, which tends to rise as the body burns glucose and can lead to muscle cramps, was also far lower in the blood of mice drinking Vaam than in that of the other mice."

What is it? A powdered sports drink that you mix with water or your favorite electrolyte drink, which you take before, during and after exercise, to give you increased energy, endurance and improved recovery time. Hornet Juice works as a trigger for the oxidation of fat, which provides you with an abundant and long lasting source of energy.

It is a unique combination of 17 amino acids, developed after extensive research of the giant hornet and its amazing ability to fly 50 miles a day. Hornet Juice replicates a mixture secreted by the hornet larvae, which the adult hornet ingests to provide them with the energy they need for their incredible flights of endurance. Athletes will enjoy improved energy, endurance, speed and recovery from taking Hornet Juice.

How much does it cost? 10 servings will cost you $20.

Guidelines for Preventing Hyponatremia

I was very irritated at the Bellingham Marathon organizers when I discovered they were serving Ultima Replenisher on race day. Ultra Replenisher is a sports drink containing electrolytes but only 10 calories per 8 ounces, virtually worthless. When I asked a race official about it, the answer I got was "What about hyponatremia?"

Hyponatremia is a potentially life threatening condition characterized by low sodium levels in the blood. How does it occur? Overdrinking to the point that you actually gain weight during a long race. According to one study conducted on 488 Boston Marathon finishers, 63 were classified as hyponatremic. Primary risk factors identified were weight gain, a finishing time > 4 hours, and low or high body weight. Most drank more than 3 liters (a liter is about a quart). Others have identified the possibility that genetics, anti-inflammatories, stress, and nausea are contributing factors. Another important factor is sweat rate- the more you lose the greater the risk.

Symptoms of hyponatremia include feeling bloated, nausea, vomiting, swelling in extremities, headache. Lethargy, confusion can also appear. In advanced stages, seizure, trouble breathing, and unconsiousess may occur.

Back to Bellingham- can you prevent hyponatremia by using an electrolyte drink instead of water. The answer to that question is clearly no. While sports drinks are recommended over water "Hyponatremia is caused by excess fluid from any source, not by lack of salt or calories." (Sports Drinks Won't Prevent Dehydration or Hyponatremia).

Recommendations for preventing hypotatremia include:

1. Don't drink obessively in the days leading up to a marathon.

2. Avoid taking anti-inflammatories such as aspirin or ibuprofen before, during, and immediately after a marathon. Wait until you are fully rehydrated.

3. Weigh yourself before the start and write it on your number- this will help any medical staff should you need attention.

4. Drink when you are thirsty during the race but don't overdo it.

5. In workouts, weigh yourself before and after without drinking to estimate your fluid loss (remember 16 oz = 1 lb). This gives you a guide (assuming the same environmental conditions) on how much you need to be drinking to just maintain losses.

6. Acclimatize by wearing extra layers during your workouts for 7-10 days prior to your race.

7. After your race nibble on salty snacks and be careful not to drink too much.

references

How much should you drink during a marathon?


HYPONATREMIA - TOO MUCH FLUID; TOO MUCH SWEAT

(c) Dave Elger 2009

Flexibility and Running Economy

The significant relationship demonstrates that the less flexible distance runners tended to be more economical, possibly as a result of the energy-efficient function of the elastic components in the muscles and tendons during the stretch-shortening cycle. -ncbi

MY COMMENT: They used a sit and reach test on 20 year old subjects. I suspect that the result might be different if hip range of motion or even hamstring flexiblilty were measured in masters runners. There are much better tests than sit and reach for assessing flexibility.