Muscle damage, fluid ingestion, and energy supplementation during recreational alpine skiing

Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2005 Oct;15(5):528-36. doi: 10.1123/ijsnem.15.5.528.

Abstract

This study examined energy and fluid supplementation on indices of muscle damage during alpine skiing. Skiers were assigned to a carbohydrate-protein (CP), placebo (PL), or no fluid (NF) group. CP and PL ingested 1.62 L during and after skiing. Myoglobin did not change from pre-skiing (PS) to 2 h post-skiing (2PS) for CP (24.8 +/- 1.4 and 25.6 +/- 1.6 ng/mL), but rose significantly from 26.4 +/- 1.3 to 40.0 +/- 2.8 ng/mL for PL and from 29.0 +/- 1.3 to 82.9 +/- 3.6 ng/mL for NF. Creatine kinase was maintained from PRE to 2 PS for CP, but increased significantly from 117 +/- 7.2 to 174 +/- 43.4 U/L for PL and from 126 +/- 23.2 to 243 +/- 34.3 U/L for NF. This study demonstrates that ingestion of a CP beverage minimized muscle damage indices during skiing compared to PL and NF and that ingesting fluids may also minimize muscle damage compared to a NF condition.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Beverages
  • Blood Glucose / metabolism
  • Creatine Kinase / metabolism
  • Dietary Carbohydrates / administration & dosage
  • Dietary Proteins / administration & dosage
  • Drinking*
  • Energy Intake / physiology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Muscle, Skeletal / metabolism*
  • Muscle, Skeletal / pathology
  • Myoglobin / metabolism
  • Osmolar Concentration
  • Oxygen Consumption / physiology
  • Skiing / physiology*

Substances

  • Blood Glucose
  • Dietary Carbohydrates
  • Dietary Proteins
  • Myoglobin
  • Creatine Kinase