Research: The Right Ventricle Best Predicts the Race Performance in Amateur Ironman Athletes

Can the potential and actual performance of Ironman triathletes be measured and predicted by reviewing their hearts? How important is the right ventricular fraction? A recent study from Alain M. Bernheim et al had some key findings.

In amateur Ironman triathletes, right ventricle end-diastole area and percent body fat were independently related to race performance. Right ventricle end-diastolic area was the strongest predictor of race time. The role of the right ventricle in endurance exercise may thus be more important than previously thought and needs to be further studied. Photo: Wikipedia Commons

Methods

"Amateur IM athletes (ATHL) participating in the Zurich IM race in 2010 were included. Participants were examined the day before the race by a comprehensive echocardiographic examination. Moreover, anthropometric measurements were obtained the same day. During the 3 months before the race, each IM-ATHL maintained a detailed training diary. Recorded data were related to total Ironman race time."

Results

"Thirty-eight Ironman finishers (average age 38+/-9 years, 32 male [84%]) were evaluated. Average total race time was 684+/-89 minutes. For right ventricular fractional area change (average: 45+/-7%, Spearman-[rho]=-0.33; p=0.05) a weak correlation with race time was observed. Race performance exhibited stronger associations with percent body fat (15.2+/-5.6%, [rho]=0.56; p=0.001), speed in running training (11.7+/-1.2 km/h, [rho]=-0.52; p=0.002), and left ventricular myocardial mass index (98+/-24 g/m2, [rho]=-0.42; p=0.009). The strongest association was found between race time and right ventricular end-diastolic area (22+/-4 cm2, [rho]=-0.64; p<0.0001). In multivariate analysis, right ventricular end-diastolic area (beta=-16.7, 95% confidence interval: -27.3-[-6.1]; p=0.003) and percent body fat (beta=6.8, 95% confidence interval: 1.1-12.6; p=0.02) were independently predictive of Ironman race time."

Conclusions

"In amateur IM-ATHL, RV end-diastole area and percent body fat were independently related to race performance. RV end-diastolic area was the strongest predictor of race time. The role of the RV in endurance exercise may thus be more important than previously thought and needs to be further studied."

1. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise: POST ACCEPTANCE, 12 March 2013
   http://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/Abstract/publishahead/The_Right_Ventricle_Best_Predicts_the_Race.98413.aspx

Research: Post-exercise whey protein hydrolysate supplementation induces a greater increase in muscle protein synthesis than its constituent amino acid content.

A study from Japanese Meiji Company LTD compares the impact of whey protein hydrosylates and aminco acids post-exercise in muscle protein synthesis. The research was done with rats, transfer of key findings to human body is likely possible.

Abstract

"It is well known that ingestion of a protein source is effective in stimulating muscle protein synthesis after exercise. In addition, there are numerous reports on the impact of leucine and leucine-rich whey protein on muscle protein synthesis and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signalling. However, there is only limited information on the effects of whey protein hydrolysates (WPH) on muscle protein synthesis and mTOR signalling. The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of WPH and amino acids on muscle protein synthesis and the initiation of translation in skeletal muscle during the post-exercise phase.

Male Sprague-Dawley rats swam for 2 h to depress muscle protein synthesis. Immediately after exercise, the animals were administered either carbohydrate (CHO), CHO plus an amino acid mixture (AA) or CHO plus WPH. At 1 h after exercise, the supplements containing whey-based protein (AA and WPH) caused a significant increase in the fractional rate of protein synthesis (FSR) compared with CHO. WPH also caused a significant increase in FSR compared with AA. Post-exercise ingestion of WPH caused a significant increase in the phosphorylation of mTOR levels compared with AA or CHO. In addition, WPH caused greater phosphorylation of ribosomal protein S6 kinase and eukaryotic initiation factor 4E-binding protein 1 than AA and CHO. In contrast, there was no difference in plasma amino acid levels following supplementation with either AA or WPH. These results indicate that WPH may include active components that are superior to amino acids for stimulating muscle protein synthesis and initiating translation."

1. British Journal of Nutrition, pp 1-7
   http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=8832290