Intake of New Zealand Blackcurrant Powder Affects Skin-Borne Volatile Organic Compounds in Middle-Aged and Older Adults

Skin volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can cause body odor or reveal human disease and may result from lipid peroxidation or activity by skin bacteria. We examined the effect of intake of New Zealand blackcurrant (NZBC) powder for 77 skin VOCs in middle-aged and older adults in a crossover design. Fourteen adults (nine males, age: 55 ± 5 yrs) consumed NZBC powder for 7 days (6 g·day^-1 with 138.6 mg anthocyanins). Two hours after the last intake, a passive flux sampler with trapping media was applied in the base of the neck for 1 hour. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used for media analysis. Habitual anthocyanin intake was quantified using a food frequency questionnaire. Compared to control (i.e., no intake of NZBC powder), emission of six skin VOCs (i.e., 2-nonenal, acetic acid, 2-hexanone, 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one, benzaldehyde, allyl methyl sulfide) were lower by more than 25%. Increases were observed for γ-octanolactone (+184%) and γ-decanolactone (+89%). A trend for a decrease for isovaleraldehyde, hexanal, and 2-pentanone, and an increase for heptanoic acid and γ-nonanolactone was observed. There was a significant correlation with daily habitual dietary anthocyanin intake for control values of hexanal and percentage change of γ-octanolactone. NZBC powder can change emanation of some VOCs in human skin. Analysis of skin VOCs following specific polyphenol intake may address the impact of dietary components to affect internal metabolic processes, body odor, and health.

Correction to: Effects of New Zealand blackcurrant extract on sport climbing performance

The authors would like to correct the following errors in the online publication of the article. Incorrect values for % changes for climb duration were provided in the abstract, results and discussion session. The  % changes in climb duration was 15% with intake of New Zealand blackcurrant extract and -15% for the placebo condition. This correction does not change the conclusions derived from the study.

Effects of New Zealand blackcurrant extract on sport climbing performance

PURPOSE

Blood flow to skeletal muscles and removal of metabolic by-products during a sport climb are essential to optimise performance and recovery. New Zealand blackcurrant (NZBC) extract has enhanced blood flow and performance in other exercise modalities. We examined the effect of NZBC extract on sport climbing performance and recovery.

METHODS

The study employed a double-blind, randomised, crossover design. Male sport climbers (n = 18, age 24 ± 6 years, height 179 ± 6 cm, mass 71.4 ± 7.8 kg, French grade 6a-8b) undertook 7 days supplementation of NZBC extract (600 mg day^-1 CurraNZ™ containing 210 mg anthocyanins) or a placebo (PL). Climbing ability was assessed through hang time (HT), pull-ups and total climbing time (TCT) in 3 intermittent climbing bouts on a Treadwall M6 rotating climbing wall to exhaustion with 20 min recovery between climbs. Heart rate (HR), blood lactate (BL), forearm girth (FG) and hand grip strength (HGS) were recorded.

RESULTS

NZBC extract had no effect on pull-ups but provided a trend for higher HT and significantly improved TCT (+23%) compared to PL (-11%) over three climbs. HR, BL, FG and HGS all indicated that 20 min was insufficient for physiological recovery between the three climbing bouts indicating accumulative fatigue regardless of supplement condition.

CONCLUSION

Despite indices of progressive fatigue across three bouts of climbing, NZBC extract facilitated not only a maintenance of TCT but an improved climbing endurance as compared with the PL condition. Blackcurrant anthocyanin-derived metabolites seem to affect physiological responses that facilitate sport climbing performance.

Intra- and interday reliability of voluntary and electrically stimulated isometric contractions of the quadriceps femoris

The reliability of voluntary and electrically stimulated isometric contractions of m. quadriceps femoris of male participants (n=10; age 30±8years; height 1.79±0.05m; body mass 79.4±8.3kg) was investigated using ratio limits of agreement (LoA) on a time scale common to examine recovery from muscle damaging exercise. No systematic changes in reliability occurred over time (baseline versus 2, 24, 48, and 72h). Maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) and interpolated twitch technique (ITT) showed no mean bias (P>0.05) with 95% LoA of ±12.7 and ±5.4, respectively. Resting twitch and potentiated doublet peak force showed no mean bias (P>0.05). However, 95% LoA were smaller for the doublet (±13.9) than the twitch (±32.0). Twitch and doublet rates showed similar trends. Ratio of low (20Hz) to high (50Hz) frequency forces showed no mean bias (P>0.05) and 95% LoA of (±9.2). However, there was significant mean bias (P<0.05) and wider 95% LoA for peak force, contraction and relaxation parameters of the low and high frequency forces. In conclusion, MVC, ITT, potentiated doublet and the ratio of low to high frequency forces are recommended to most reliably examine functional muscle recovery between 2 and 72h after damaging exercise.

The effect of number of lengthening contractions on rat isometric force production at different frequencies of nerve stimulation

AIM

To test the effect of 3, 10, 60 and 240 lengthening contractions (LC) on maximal isometric force of rat plantar flexor muscles at different stimulation frequencies.

METHODS

Using a dynamometer and electrical nerve stimulation, maximally active skeletal muscles were stretched by ankle rotation to produce LC of the plantar flexor muscles in intact female rats. After the lengthening contraction protocols, maximal isometric force was measured at different frequencies of nerve activation to obtain frequency-dependent force deficits (weakness).

RESULTS

The magnitude of the force deficit, measured 1 h after the protocols at 80 Hz, increased as a function of repetition number (three LC, 33.3 +/- 1.7%; 10 LC, 37.2 +/- 2.3%; 60 LC, 67.6 +/- 1.5%; 240 LC, 77.7 +/- 1.2%). Force deficits were also measured at each stimulation frequency tested (5:120 Hz). Using a ratio of isometric force at 20:100 Hz stimulation, the relative depression of force at low frequency was determined. The relative depression of isometric force at low frequency was most prominent during the early repetitions.

CONCLUSION

As low-frequency force depression appears to result primarily from excitation-contraction (E-C) coupling failure, the early LC in a series of repeated contractions probably contribute most to damage of the cellular components involved in E-C coupling.