Research Update #15

by Hypertrophy

As we approach the new millennium we find the science of building muscle progressing faster than ever before. Long gone are the days of simple trial and error when it comes to building muscle. The modern bodybuilder demands more than just "hear say" if they are to adopt a new training routine or nutritional supplement. This column was created to keep today’s bodybuilder on the cutting edge of scientific research that might benefit them in their quest for body perfection.

Scientists ask, "Why can't white men jump?"

Title: Architectural characteristics of muscle in black and white college football players.

Researchers:Takashi A, Brown JB and Brechue WF Department of Kinesiology, Indiana University, Bloomington, USA

Source: Med Sci Sports Exerc 1999 Oct;31(10):1448-52

The purpose of this study was to determine whether architectural characteristics of skeletal muscle differ by race.

METHODS: Skeletal muscle architectural characteristics and body composition were studied in 13 black and 31 white male college football players. Fat-free mass (FFM) and percentage body fat (% fat) were determined by hydrostatic weighing technique. Muscle thickness (MTH) was measured by B-mode ultrasound at 13 anatomical sites. Isolated MTH and muscle pennation angle (PANG) of the triceps long head, vastus lateralis, and gastrocnemius medialis muscles were measured by ultrasound, and fascicle length was estimated.

RESULTS: There were no significant differences between blacks and whites in isolated MTH, PANG, and fascicle length in the triceps long head, vastus lateralis, and gastrocnemius medialis muscles. On average, % fat and FFM of black and white football players were 18.8 +/- 4.6% and 17.2 +/- 5.6% for % fat, and 89.9 +/- 15.6 kg and 89.1 +/- 10.4 kg for FFM, respectively. Blacks had a significantly greater, 30%-quadriceps (P < 0.05), 50%-hamstrings (P < 0.05), biceps (P < 0.01), and abdomen (P < 0.01) MTH than those of whites. Standing height and body weight were similar between blacks and whites, but the ratio of leg length to standing height was significantly greater in blacks compared with whites.

Discussion:

Previous research has shown that blacks (children and adults) perform better in sprinting/jumping events than whites (Hutinger PW. Differences in speed between American Negro and White children in performance of the 35 yard dash. Res. Q 30:366-368, 1959.)(Milne C., Seefeldt V., and Reuschlein P. Relationship between grade, sex, race, and motor performance in young children. Res. Q 47:726-730, 1976.)(Ponthieux NA., Barker DG. Relationship between race and physical fitness. Res. Q. 36:468-472, 1965)(Samson J., and Yerles M. Racial differences in sports performance. Can. J. Sports Sci. 13:109-116, 1988). These researchers wanted to see if this was due to architectural differences in the muscle itself. Contrary to their hypothesis, they found no differences between black and white athletes. They did however, find differences in the distribution of muscle mass on the limbs. The muscle mass on black athletes tended to be distributed higher on the thigh. The authors of this study commented that the "shape" of the quadriceps and hamstrings were different between black and white athletes. One can only speculate if this contributes to athletic performance. Certainly further research is necessary.

Difference in muscle shape between different races is nothing new to bodybuilders. Bodybuilding is not a performance sport so these differences only matter if they add or detract from the aesthetics of the physique. I don’t think I would be going to far out on a limb to say that at least one current Olympia competitor’s exceptional shape is due in large part to their genetics, which is partly race specific. On the flip side, other competitors seem to have race related characteristics that hurt them like a wide waist, blocky musculature (as apposed to round or balloon-like), and muscle insertions that blur key areas like the transition from shoulder to upper arm. These characteristics may detract from their physique to the point of overshadowing impressive muscle mass.

In the end these researchers were unable to account for differences in athletic performance by differences in muscle architecture. They voice the need for future investigations of muscle "distribution" and it’s effects on athletic performance. Meanwhile I’m sure we will continue to see refinements in muscle shape as genetics play an ever-increasing role in winning professional bodybuilding contests.

Title: Nalbuphine hydrochloride dependence in anabolic steroid users.

Researchers: Wines JD Jr, Gruber AJ, Pope HG Jr, Lukas SE. Alcohol and Drug Abuse Research Center, McLean Hospital-Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA 02478, USA.

Source: Am J Addict 1999 Spring;8(2):161-4

Nalbuphine hydrochloride, a nonscheduled opioid agonist/antagonist analgesic also known as Nubaine or Nubain, is currently approved for the treatment of pain. Recently, nalbuphine dependence was reported in three anabolic steroid users in Britain. To further document

this phenomenon, investigators conducted interviews on eleven subjects who reported nalbuphine use. Eight subjects were clinically dependent on nalbuphine, and seven of the subjects who were asked about tolerance and withdrawal with nalbuphine acknowledged these symptoms. Eight subjects, who had never used drugs intravenously before, reported using nalbuphine by this route. Nalbuphine-related morbidity was extensive and included medical complications

and psychiatric symptoms. Nalbuphine users also exhibited a high rate of comorbid Axis I disorders, including other substance misuse. Virtually all subjects described widespread nalbuphine use in the gymnasiums they frequented. These observations, together with the recent increase in nalbuphine-related articles in the lay press, suggest that nalbuphine may represent a new drug of abuse among athletes, especially those using anabolic steroids, and that nalbuphine's scheduling status may need to be re-evaluated.

It could be argued that I come across as "pro-drug" when it comes to performance enhancement, but using hormones that facilitate muscle growth and using narcotics to get numb are two completely different issues.

Anabolic steroids are not "recreational" drugs. You don’t throw a party and have everybody sneaking to the back room to take a hit of Deca or Sustanon. Although some have argued that steroids cause "Roid Rage", closer examination will show that what was actually observed was "Jerk Rage". The steroids simply gave the individual the nerve to act out on her aggression. Nubain on the other hand, is very much a mind/mood altering drug. Although prescribed for pain, it is used on the street in the same spirit as morphine, barbiturates, and benzodiazepines.

The use of Nubain appears to be wide spread although not necessarily common. You will find Nubain on product lists of more than one steroid/drug distributor. Guys will take a shot of Nubain before working out to mask the pain. More often than not, this can hide injuries as well as the pain of exertion. Later as the drug wears off you are left with even more pain in addition to psychological and physical withdrawal from the drug. Not a good way to reach your goals.

Studies have shown that recreational drug users are more likely to use steroids than non-drug users. It would be a shame to see this relationship turned around. The sport/culture of bodybuilding definitely doesn’t need a bunch a drug addicts adding to the difficulty of legitimizing the sport in the eyes of the general public as well as the sporting community.

High fat pre-event meals may improve endurance performance in trained athletes.

Title: Increased fat availability enhances the capacity of trained individuals to perform prolonged exercise.

Researchers: Pitsiladis YP., Smith I., and Maughan RJ. Department of Biomedical Sciences, University Medical School, Aberdeen, UK.

Source: Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 31(11):1570-1579, 1999

Methods: After a familiarization period, six well-trained males participated in a diet and exercise regimen lasting 9 d and comprising three cycling tests to exhaustion. A work rate was selected during the familiarization period that would result in fatigue after approximately 90-100 min at an ambient temperature of 10 degrees Celsius (i.e., approximate 75% of VO_2max). The first exercise test was a depletion trail and was preceded by a period during which the subjects’ normal diet was consumed. A prescribed 70% carbohydrate (CHO) diet was then consumed for 3.5 d. After this diet, a second exercise test was performed; one of two isoenergetic experimental meals was consumed 4 h before this test (70% CHO meal, CHO trial; or 90% fat meal, fat trial). The second exercise test was followed by a further 3.5-d period on the high CHO diet. Four hours before the third test, subjects consumed the other meal. Heparin was administered intravenously 30 min (1000 U), 15 min (500 U), and 0 min (500 U) before exercise on the fat trial. Subjects were assigned to the two meals in randomized order.

Results: Time to exhaustion increased from 118.2 (12.4) min on the CHO trial to 127.9 (12.1) min on the fat trial. Although no difference in VO₂ RER, HR, or RPE was found between trials, there was an earlier reduction in respiratory exchange ratio (RER) and an earlier rise in ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) on the fat trial. No difference in total CHO oxidation was found between trials (383 +/- 70 g on the CHO trial and 362 +/- 59 g on the fat trial).

Conclusion: These results suggest that increasing fat availability immediately before exercise by acute fat feeding and heparin infusion can improve endurance exercise in a cool environment in well-trained individuals. This study was not intended to have immediate application to the sports performance field but rather to contribute to our understanding of the factors that may limit endurance performance. Heparin injection to elevate plasma fatty acid concentration would not represent sound medical practice.

Discussion:

I don’t usually focus on endurance research but this time it is an opportunity for me to add some ammo to my unpopular position on diet and endurance exercise. Let me explain. The current dogma on endurance performance dictates that a very high carbohydrate diet is the only appropriate diet. Despite this widely held view, the literature does not support the hypothesis that short-term or long-term reduction in dietary carbohydrate will impair training or performance (Sherman and Wimer 1991). In a study using runners and cyclists, subjects exercised for 1 h at 75% peak oxygen consumption (VO2), followed by five 1-min sprints, maintained muscle glycogen levels with a daily consumption of 10 g carbohydrate/kg BW/day. These athletes were also tested consuming only 5 grams carbohydrate/kg BW/day which caused a 30-36% reduction in muscle glycogen stores. Interestingly, their performance was not effected (Sherman et al. 1993).

Even endurance athletes don’t appear to be following the "dieticians’" advice. In a study of over 400 athletes, the average carbohydrate intake was only 50% of total calories (van Erp-Baart, 1989). Other reports support these findings that most competitive athletes do not consume anywhere near 75% carbohydrates (Hawley, 1995).

So why would any body want to use a high fat diet when eating carbs is so much more socially acceptable? The theory is that if you can cause the muscle to adapt to utilizing fat for fuel with a high fat diet, you will increase the muscle’s ability to use fat during exercise, thereby sparing glycogen and prolonging endurance. In fact, studies have show that this does indeed happen (Boyadjiev, 1996). I will admit that quality studies using high fat diets to improve endurance capacity are few. Most of the existing studies show only highly trained athletes benefit from high fat diets. Even then the authors usually conclude that these diets are so dangerous (fat phobia) that they should not be used. In a study by Lambert (Lambert,1994) it was shown that trained cyclist put on a high fat diet for 2 weeks increased endurance performance by over 50%. That is very impressive. Because of pressure from the powers that be, few grad students or research professors will be able to easily get funding to extol the virtues of a high fat diet so future studies of this nature will be few and far between.

The current study did not utilize an extended high fat diet, instead they chose simply to increase serum fatty acids. Now, based on the Randle cycle (glucose-fatty acid cycle), increasing serum fatty acids should decrease glucose utilization. In this case they were successful, not only at increasing serum fatty acids but also at sparing glycogen and increasing endurance. Time to exhaustion increase from 118.2 minutes to 127.9 minutes. That’s only about 7.5%. I suspect that if you combined the techniques used in this study to increase fatty acid availability with the temporary high fat diet used in previous studies, you would see a significant increase in time to exhaustion in trained athletes. To do it right you would need to consume a diet at least 65% fat for at least two weeks combined with endurance training. Following the initial 2 weeks you would also need to carb load for at least 2 days before the event. You will need to use some method of decreasing serum fatty acids on the first day. Use timed release nicotinic acid in the morning of your first day of carbs. Then on the morning of the event you would want to consume a high fat meal as done in the current study. I don’t really think the Heparin is necessary. Using MCT oil combined with some other oil (flax maybe?) would be a good idea the morning of the event to ensure extended release of fat into the blood stream. Throw in a little caffeine and a chewable vitamin C (it competes for metabolism with catecholamines) and bingo, you are set to put out a personal best. 

Sherman, W. M., Doyle, J. A., Lamb, D. R. & Strauss, R. H. (1993) Dietary carbohydrate, muscle glycogen, and exercise performance during 7 days of training. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 57: 27–31.

Sherman, W. M. & Wimer, G. S. (1991) Insufficient dietary carbohydrate during training: does it impair athletic performance? Int. J. Sports Nutr. 1: 28–44.

van Erp-Baart AM, Saris WH, Binkhorst RA, Vos JA, Elvers JW. Nationwide survey on nutritional habits in elite athletes. Part I. Energy, carbohydrate, protein, and fat intake. Int J Sports Med 1989 May;10 Suppl 1:S3-10

Hawley JA, Dennis SC, Lindsay FH, Noakes TD Nutritional practices of athletes: are they sub-optimal? J Sports Sci 1995 Summer;13 Spec No:S75-81

Boyadjiev N. Increase of aerobic capacity by submaximal training and high-fat diets. Folia Med (Plovdiv) 1996;38(1):49-59

Lambert EV, Speechly DP, Dennis SC, Noakes TD. Enhanced endurance in trained cyclists during moderate intensity exercise following 2 weeks adaptation to a high fat diet. Eur J Appl Physiol 1994;69(4):287-93