Purpose To investigate the effects of a single dose of juice on physical performance, oxidative stress, inflammation and muscle damage in runners. Methods Fourteen recreational male runners (39 ± 9 years, VO2peak = 55.9 ± 6.5 ml/kg/min) performed two running tests to exhaustion at 80% of VO2max after ingesting grape juice or a placebo drink (10 ml/kg/day) randomly. Blood samples were taken before and 2 h after supplementation and immediately after running to analyze total antioxidant capacity (TAC), malondialdehyde (MDA), alpha-1 acid glycoprotein (A1GPA), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Results The participants ran for an average of 59.2 ± 27.8 min until exhaustion in the placebo group and for 68.4 ± 29.7 min until exhaustion in the grape juice intake group, which was a significantly longer time (p = 0.008). This improvement in physical performance was accompanied by a 43.6% increase in TAC (p = 0.000) at the post-exercise timepoint compared to the level at baseline. MDA, A1GPA, hs-CRP, CK, and LDH did not exhibit changes. In contrast, no significant change in any variable was observed after consuming the placebo drink. Conclusion The single-dose intake of purple grape juice demonstrated an ergogenic effect in recreational runners by increasing run time to exhaustion and increasing antioxidant activity.

Background & aims Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been associated with small bowel bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and cardiometabolic dysfunction. This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the cardio-metabolic parameters and SIBO in patients with different degrees of hepatic fibrosis estimated by NAFLD fibrosis score (NFS). Methods Subjects (n = 78) were allocated to three groups: Healthy control (n = 30), NAFLD with low risk of advanced fibrosis (NAFLD-LRAF, n = 17) and NAFLD with a high risk of advanced fibrosis (NAFLD-HRAF, n = 31). Anthropometrics, blood pressure, electrocardiogram and heart rate variability (HRV) were evaluated. Only the NAFLD-LRAF and NAFLD-HRAF groups were submitted to blood biochemical analysis and glucose hydrogen breath tests. Results The NAFLD-HRAF group had higher age and body mass index when compared to the control and NAFLD-LRAF groups. The prevalence of SIBO in the NAFLD group was 8.33%. The low frequency/high-frequency ratio (LF/HF ratio) was augmented in NAFLD-LRAF (p < 0.05) when compared with control group. NAFLD-HRAF group had a wide QRS complex (p < 0.05) and reduced LF/HF ratio (p < 0.05) compared to the control and NAFLD-LRAF groups. Serum levels of albumin and platelets were more reduced in the NAFLD-HRAF subjects (p < 0.05) than in the NAFLD-LRAF.

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In sports, training needs to be done according to various training patterns to optimize performance. However, this has been a major challenge to athletes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, therefore describing the impacts of lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on the athlete's training routine is necessary. 52 Brazilian athletes (Age: 31.5±10.3 years; Body Mass Index: 23.9±3.5 kg/m²), Olympic and Paralympic sports practitioners (professional and recreational) answered an online questionnaire [frequency, duration and intensity (subjective perception of effort) of training sessions],before and during lockdown (July to November/2020). The weekly training frequency (sessions/week) reduced by 48.1% (n=25) and was significantly higher among those who performed more than eight sessions before the pandemic (75% of them, p<0.000). The duration of the sessions (hours/day) decreased by 55.8% (n=29) and was significantly higher in athletes who performed training lasting more than one hour/day [75.9% of them (n=22)] and 24.1% (n= 7) performed training for more than two hours/day (p=0.132).The subjective perception of effort significantly decreased by 56%, from 8.4±1.2 to 5.5±1.7 (p=0.001). Because of the lockdown, athletes have suffered a reduction in the frequency, volume and intensity of their training sessions, but only in those with higher prepandemic training loads.

Background We examined the influence of superoxide dismutase 3 (SOD3) Arg213Gly and Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated α-Receptor (PPARα) 7G/C polymorphisms to a single dose of purple grape juice supplementation on time-to-exhaustion running test, redox balance and muscle damage in recreational runners. Methods Forty-seven male recreational runners performed a running test until exhaustion after supplementation with grape juice or a control drink. Serum total antioxidant capacity (TAC), malondialdehyde (MDA), plasma nitrite (NO), creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were measured pre and post exercise. Also, polymorphisms were analyzed in DNA extracted from the oral mucosa. Results Grape juice improved the time-to-exhaustion. When analyzed by genotype, the recreational runners with GG+CG genotypes of the SOD3 gene had greater time-to-exhaustion than the CC genotype, but was no different for the PAPRα gene. A slight difference was noted in TAC, since the CC genotype of the SOD3 gene showed higher TAC values in the post-exercise compared to the baseline and with pre-exercise, but these values did not increase compared to the CG+GG group, respectively. The SOD3 and PPARα genes were similar at all times for the other biochemical variables. Conclusion The ergogenic effect of grape juice was genotype-dependent for SOD3 Arg213Gly. However, biochemical redox balance markers did not explain this difference.