Issue #19 (May 2016)

• Training hot for performance gains
  Athletes know all too well that sudden exposure to heat or altitude can severely impact performance, so acclimation is a good idea. And it turns out that exposure to one of these stressors may actually help the other one.
• The art & science of evidence-based practice and elite performance By Craig Pickering
  As one of the rare athletes to participate in both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games, Craig has a unique perspective on the intersection of optimal performance and evidence-based practice.
• Relaxing arteries with magnesium
  To stave off cardiovascular disease, we want our arteries to be more pliable than stiff. This trial tested six months of magnesium supplementation for the purpose of reducing arterial stiffness.
• Beating “the burn” with baking soda
  Can you believe that something as simple as baking soda may boost performance? While this fact has been known for a while, researchers didn’t know that people’s responses to different doses can vary quite a bit
• A compound from beer may help fat loss Open Access
  Bitter, hop-derived compounds found in beer may actually reduce body fat levels. Previously only shown in mice, this study tested the theory in humans
• Sugar is the ultimate antioxidant and insulin will make you younger: Appreciating a few poorly recognized but critical contributions of carbohydrate
  By Chris Masterjohn, PhD: Sugar is widely demonized in the media and medical establishment. Professor Masterjohn provides an eye-opening and detailed view on some potential protective roles of glucose.
• Milk gone bad: A1 beta-casein and GI distress
  Casein isn’t just the slowly digesting protein that helps prevent muscle breakdown. This study looked at possible negative effects of the most common type of casein in milk
• Arsenic in rice: big trouble for little infants?
  Depending on where it’s grown, rice can have rather high levels of arsenic. Especially brown rice. This may be important for developing infants
• How much protein does grandpa really need?
  One of the many downsides to aging is altered protein mechanics. Based on the theory that protein requirements for seniors may be pegged too low, this study quantified protein needs in older males.
• Is resistance exercise the next frontier for nitrates?
  Nitrate use for athletics has exploded in the past few years, but research typically focuses on aerobic activities like longer-distance cycling or swimming. Could nitrates also show benefit for weightlifting?

Researchers

Alex Leaf, MS(c); Margaret Wertheim, MS, RD; Courtney Silverthorn, PhD; Zach Bohannan, M.S.; Jeff Rothschild, MSc, RD; Anders Nedergaard, PhD; Greg Palczewski, PhD(c); James Graham, PhD

Editors

Gregory Lopez, PharmD; Pablo Sanchez Soria, PhD; Kamal Patel, MBA, MPH, PhD(c)

Reviewers

Stephan Guyenet, PhD; Arya Sharma, PhD, MD; Natalie Muth, MD, MPH, RD; Sarah Ballantyne, PhD; Gillian Mandich, PhD(c); Mark Kern, PhD, RD; Katherine Rizzone, MD; Spencer Nadolsky, DO; Adel Moussa, PhD(c)

Infographics

Calla Lee