Pilot Study “ Effect 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

Aims of Pilot Study  Effect of Sports Oxyshot on Indices of Aerobic Performance  Maximal Performance indices  Peak VO2  Peak Power  Sub-maximal Aerobic Performance 4 mM Lactate Threshold  Oxygen Uptake  Power  Heart Rate

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

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

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 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 hours/week (Bike, Swim, Run)

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 60 revs.

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) 

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

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 60 revs.

Maximal Power Outputs SubjectPL(Watts)OS(Watts) Diff (%) CH % DG % NW %

Maximal Oxygen Uptake SubjectPL(ml/kg/min)OS(ml/kg/min) Diff (%) CH % DG % NW %

Power 4 mM Threshold SubjectPL(Watts)OS(Watts) Diff (%) CH % DG % NW %

VO2 4 mM Threshold SubjectPL(ml/min)OS(ml/min) Diff (%) CH % DG % NW %

Power Vs HLa CH HLa (mM) Power (Watts) OS PL

VO2 vs HLa VO2 ATPS (ml/min) HLa (mM) OS PL

HR vs HLa HLa (mM) HR (bpm) OS PL

Power Vs HLa DG HLa (mM) Power (Watts) OS PL

VO2 Vs HLa DG VO2 ATPS (L/min) HLa (mM) OS PL

HR vs HLa HLa (mM) HR (bpm) DG OS PL

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 % 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

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 mins after ingestion  This clearly shows OS is not only bio-available  But also results in significant increases in blood PO2 changes

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

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