Pilot Study

1
Pilot StudyEffect of Sports Oxyshot on
Selected Indices of Endurance Performance in
Trained Athletes

• Ian Gillam PhD
• Exercise Physiologist and Nutritionist
• AFL Melbourne Demons FC
• Assoc Prof Steve Selig PhD
• Exercise Physiologist, Victoria University

2
Aims of Pilot Study

• Effect of Sports Oxyshot on Indices of Aerobic
  Performance
• Maximal Performance indices
• Peak VO2
• Peak Power
• Sub-maximal Aerobic Performance indices _at_ 4 mM
  Lactate Threshold
• Oxygen Uptake
• Power
• Heart Rate

3
Study Design of Trial

• Double Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Cross-Over
  Design
• Supplementation period of one week each
  treatment
• Either 15 ml of Sports Oxyshot (OS) or Placebo
  (PL)
• Ingested each morning for 7 days prior to each
  exercise test
• Treatment Compliance was 100 for all subjects
• Subjects Paired based on age (but not gender) and
  training load and treatment randomly assigned
• Degassed tonic water

4
Study Design of Trial 2

• Identical training in 24 hours prior to each
  exercise test and no training 12 hours prior to
  test
• Diet was controlled in 24 hours prior to each
  test
• Each subject undertook each test at same time
  of day
• All tests conducted under standard Laboratory
  conditions

5
Subjects

• Four triathletes
• 2 Masters Ironman triathletes
• DG (F, 40 years)
• MB (F, 33 years)
• Due to Viral infection in the few week before
  testing data has not been included in analysis
• Training of 16-20 hours/week (Bike, Swim, Run)
• 2 Olympic Distance triathletes
• CH (M, 23 years). Ranked in top 10 U23
  triathletes in Victoria
• NW (F, 26 years). Ranked 5th as a road cyclist
  in Victoria
• Training 14-18 hours/week (Bike, Swim, Run)

6
Exercise Testing

• Conducted on Electromagnetic Cycle Ergometer
• Cycle set-up standardized for each subject
  according to their preferred seat and frame
  dimensions
• Protocol for Progressive Exercise test
• 3 min warm up at 50 watts
• Start test at 100 watts, with an increase of 25
  watts each 2 mins
• Measurements made in the last 30 secs of each
  Workload
• Crank rpm selected by each subject recorded at
  each minute
• Power outputs increased until volitional
  exhaustion or subject was unable to maintain a
  crank rpm _at_ 60 revs.

7
Parameters Measured

• Cycle Power output and crank rpm
• Metabolic Measurements
• Oxygen uptake, VE, RER each 30 secs (Med
  Graphics)
• HR Via ECG telemetry
• Capillarized Whole blood Lactate
• Via Finger prick during the last 15 secs of each
  power output
• Analysed by Lactate Pro Auto-analyser
• Borg RPE (6-20 scale)

8
Data Analysis

• Maximal Data
• VO2 max and Peak Power Compared for OS and PL
  trials
• Determination of 4 mM HLa Threshold
• Best Fit Graphs drawn for the following
• Power Output VS HLa
• VO2 Vs HLa
• HR Vs HLa

9
Exercise Testing

• Conducted on Electromagnetic Cycle Ergometer
• Cycle set-up standardized for each subject
  according to their preferred seat and frame
  dimensions
• Protocol for Progressive Exercise test
• 3 min warm up at 50 watts
• Start test at 100 watts, with an increase of 25
  watts each 2 mins
• Measurements made in the last 30 secs of each
  Workload
• Crank rpm selected by each subject recorded at
  each minute
• Power outputs increased until volitional
  exhaustion or subject was unable to maintain a
  crank rpm _at_ 60 revs.

10
Maximal Power Outputs
Subject PL (Watts) OS (Watts) Diff ()
CH 389 394 1.2
DG 311 303 -2.6
NW 356 368 3.3
11
Maximal Oxygen Uptake
Subject PL (ml/kg/min) OS (ml/kg/min) Diff ()
CH 76.2 77.2 1.3
DG 58.3 57.3 -2.3
NW 62.9 64.7 3.3
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Power Outputs _at_ 4 mM Threshold
Subject PL (Watts) OS (Watts) Diff ()
CH 283 293 3.5
DG 175 179 2.2
NW 285 305 7.0
13
VO2BTPS _at_ 4 mM Threshold
Subject PL (ml/min) OS (ml/min) Diff ()
CH 3700 3925 6.1
DG 3490 3620 3.7
NW 4250 3980 - 6.8
14
Power Vs HLa
CH
HLa (mM)
PL
OS
Power (Watts)
283
293
15
VO2 vs HLa
HLa (mM)
PL
OS
VO2ATPS (ml/min)
3600
3400
16
HR vs HLa
HLa (mM)
PL
OS
162
170
HR (bpm)
17
Power Vs HLa
DG
HLa (mM)
PL
OS
275
260
Power (Watts)
18
VO2 Vs HLa
DG
HLa(mM)
PL
OS
VO2ATPS (L/min)
3.19
3.32
19
HR vs HLa
DG
HLa (mM)
PL
OS
HR (bpm)
175
179
20
Summary of Results

• While data are extremely limited due to small
  sample size
• No effect of OS on maximal performance data
• Peak Power or VO2 max
• OS increased the 4 mM HLa threshold by 2.2-
  7.0 based on VO2 and Peak Power data
• On an individual basis, this could result in a
  2-3 minute/hour performance improvement when
  completing a prolonged endurance event such as a
  triathalon

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How might OS improve endurance performance 1?

• OS contains 17 stabilized Oxygen in a strong
  hypochlorite solution
• 15 ml dose contains only 2-3 ml, so the
  additional oxygen supplied in OS cannot
  responsible!
• As a 5 OS solution has been shown to increase
  arterial pO2 by 5-10 in healthy human subjects
  for 30-120 mins after ingestion
• This clearly shows OS is not only bio-available
• But also results in significant increases in
  blood PO2 changes

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How might OS improve endurance performance 2?

• Could the increase in pO2 mediate secondary
  changes?
• Could this alter the regulation of respiratory
  or cardiac response by arterial chemoreceptors?
• UNLIKELY- no evidence of difference in VE during
  exercise during this study
• Alterations in levels of red cell 2,3 DPG and
  increased oxygen delivery to the active tissues?
• POSSIBLE. Chronic changes in arterial PO2
  regulate DPG Levels
• Evidence of an induction period during
  chronic use of OS

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Future Research Studies

• 1. Increase sample size of current study to
  determine significance of the effect on
  parameters of endurance performance in athletes.
• 2. Examine effect of long term use of OS on
  arterial pO2, red cell 2,3 DPG, indices of
  oxidative damage and endurance performance
• 3. Determine the Oxygen species in OS by
  electron spin resonance studies and specifically
  assess if there is any evidence of transient
  reactive oxygen species present.
• 4. Examine the potential use of OS to increase
  oxygen delivery to the tissues when on long haul
  flights and to assist recovery in athletes