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Effect of calcium supplementation on cycling performance in 10 mile time trials
Author(s) -
Jawadwala Rehana,
Atkins Stephen,
Lowe Nicola,
Robinson Peter
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.25.1_supplement.608.1
The objective of the current research was to investigate the effect of calcium supplementation on cycling performance. Ten male well‐trained cyclists (mean ± SD; age 35.8 ± 11.3 yrs, stature 176 ± 7.1 cm, body mass 73.8 ± 9.3 kg, V̇ O 2peak 4.59 ± 0.8 l/min, W peak 350 ± 42 W) were recruited. Participants were tested using a randomised, single blind, test‐retest intervention trial design. Each participant was given 1000 mg/d of elemental calcium (citrate) in tablet form for 4 weeks. They undertook a 10 mile bicycle ergometer time trial test at baseline (10TTB) and end of the intervention period (10TTC). A stationary electromagnetically braked ergometer (SRM ergometer; Schoberer Rad Messtechnik, Jülich, Germany) was used. Gas exchange was measured continuously using an online breath‐by‐breath Spirometer (Metalyzer II; Cortex, Leipzig, Germany). There was a drop in time‐to‐finish (−0.20 ± 0.11 mins; P = 0.17, d = −0.18) and mean power output increased (7.22 ± 0.65 W; P = 0.02, d = 0.21) in 10TTC compared to 10TTB. Both mean gross efficiency (1.19 ± 0.40%; P = 0.001, d = 1.09) and mean economy (4.15 ± 1.41 W/l; P = 0.001, d = 0.82) improved significantly during the 10TTC compared to 10TTB. Increased dietary calcium may have improved performance via changes in intracellular calcium [Ca 2+ ] i levels. Efficiency may have improved due to a combination of better utilisation of metabolic substrates and attenuated skeletal muscle fatigue.