Matthias Kamber

Creatine supplementation--part I: performance, clinical chemistry, and muscle volume.

PURPOSE Our purpose was to study the effects and side effects of creatine (Cr) supplementation on high-intensity, short-term muscle work, on biochemical parameters related to Cr metabolism in blood and urine, and on muscle volume of the lower limb muscles. METHODS A cycling ergometer was used in a double-blind, cross-over study on 10 well-trained male physical education students to measure physical performance with 10 repetitive ergometer sprints (6-s duration, 30-s rest) before and after supplementation (5 d, 20 g x d(-1), washout period 61 +/- 8 d, mean +/- SEM, minimum 28 d) with Cr or placebo. Before and after supplementation, blood and urine were taken and the muscle volume of the lower limb was determined by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). RESULTS A significant (P << 0.05) increase in performance (+7%) at the end [4-6 s] of the later sprints (4-7 and 8-10) was observed combined with a lower production of blood lactate (-1 mmol x L(-1)) with Cr supplementation. The concentration of Cr was increased significantly in urine (P < 0.001) and serum (P = 0.005), whereas creatinine (Crn) was increased in serum (P < 0.001). Crn in urine and Crn clearance did not change significantly with Cr intake. There were no significant changes in the analyzed blood enzyme activities. A significant gain of body weight (pre-Cr 76.5 +/- 1.7 kg to 77.9 +/- 1.7 kg post-Cr) with Cr supplementation was measured, but no accompanying increase of muscle mass in a limited volume of the lower limb was observed by MRI. CONCLUSION Cr supplementation is effective in improving short-term performance, and the methods used show no detrimental side effects with this supplementation protocol.

Creatine supplementation--part II: in vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

PURPOSE Our purpose was to study effects of creatine (Cr) supplementation on muscle metabolites noninvasively by means of magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) before and after supplementation with Cr or placebo. METHODS 1H-MRS was used in a comprehensive, double-blind, cross-over study in 10 volunteers to measure Cr in m. tibialis anterior and m. rectus femoris at rest. PCr/ATP was observed in m. quadriceps femoris by 31P-MRS at rest and after exercise. RESULTS A significant increase in total Cr was observed with Cr intake in m. tibialis anterior (+9.6 +/- 1.7%, P = 0.001) and in m. rectus femoris (+18.0 +/- 1.8%, P < 0.001). PCr/ATP showed a significant increase (+23.9 +/- 2.3%, P < 0.001) in m. quadriceps femoris at rest with Cr supplementation. Post-Cr supplementation recovery rates from exercise were significantly lower (k = 0.029 s(-1), P < 0.01) compared with postplacebo consumption (k = 0.034 s(-1)) and presupplementation (k = 0.037 s(-1)). However, higher levels of PCr/ATP at rest compensate for this reduction of the recovery rate after Cr supplementation. The increase of PCr/ATP determined by 31P-MRS correlates with the increase of Cr observed by 1H-MRS (r = 0.824, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION Noninvasive observation of Cr and PCr after Cr supplementation shows an increase in a muscle specific manner. Higher preexercise levels of PCr/ATP at rest compensate for significantly slower recovery rates of PCr/ATP after Cr supplementation.

The public perception of doping in sport in Switzerland, 1995 – 2004

Abstract The article reports findings on the perception of doping and anti-doping policies from four representative population surveys carried out in 1995, 1998, 2001, and 2004, as well as from a 2005 – 2006 survey of top-level athletes in Switzerland. The results show a growing public awareness for doping issues and increasing support for a comprehensive anti-doping strategy in Switzerland. The vast majority of the Swiss population and top-level athletes are strongly against doping and support a strategy that combines strict prohibition and sanctioning with informational and educational efforts. The perception of the doping issue and the strategic preferences in fighting doping stated by the public are largely in line with the current anti-doping strategy followed by the Swiss authorities. The results thus suggest a successful use of information resources by the authorities to create public awareness and to communicate its strategy.

Doping test reveals high concentrations of salbutamol in a Swiss track and field athlete.

Beta-2 agonists are on the list of prohibited substances in sport. Salbutamol by inhalation is permitted to treat allergic asthma, and/or exercise-induced asthma or exercise-induced bronchoconstriction. If the level of salbutamol in urine exceeds 1000 ng/mL, the result is considered as a doping violation with an anabolic steroid. We report a case of a track and field athlete who tested well above this limit during a competition. He had a valid therapeutic use exemption for the use of salbutamol by inhalation and he claimed that he never used salbutamol orally. Further studies under controlled application by inhalation showed that this limit was exceeded. We propose that sanctioning bodies in sport should consider this possibility before taking into account a two-year ban for the use of an anabolic steroid.

Attitudes towards doping – A comparison of elite athletes, performance oriented leisure athletes and the general population

Abstract The article reports findings on attitudes towards doping in Switzerland from various surveys aimed at the general population, elite athletes registered with the Swiss anti-doping pool and performance oriented leisure athletes (POLAs) from the late 2000s and early 2010s. Even though the results suggest a broad consensus against doping and strong support for a general ban on doping in all three groups, athletes are even more critical of doping practices than the general population thus reflecting their proximity to the problem and their interest in clean sports. In addition, POLAs tend to be somewhat more critical than elite athletes thus lending support to psychological hypotheses stating that intrinsic motivations predominant in this group may increase one’s enmity towards doping as opposed to extrinsic and strictly goal and performance oriented motivations that are supposed to be more widespread among elite athletes. Finally, a comparison with earlier population and elite athlete surveys shows that critical assessments of doping in elite sports and a preference for a complete ban of doping (as opposed to a partial or full liberalisation) have already been common in the 1990s and early 2000s but have further increased in the meantime. As a result, Switzerland’s current strict anti-doping strategy appears to be highly legitimate.