The purpose of the present investigation was to evaluate the reliability a protocol used to assess short-term resistance exercise performance. Six men participated in this investigation after giving their consent. Subjects (N = 6) performed 6 sets of leg extensions at 80% of 10 repetition maximum (RM). Ten repetitions were performed during the first 3 sets; during the last 3 sets subjects exercised to fatigue. Ninety seconds of seated passive recovery separated each set. Subsequently, 2 experimental trials were conducted in which the exercise protocol was identical to the familiarization trial. There was a significant decline in performance from set 4 (13.5 +/- 0.9 reps) to set 5 (11.9 +/- 0.8 reps) and set 4 to set 6 (10.8 +/- 1.0 reps), suggesting that the protocol did induce fatigue. The intraclass correlations were 0.992, 0.992, and 0.993 for the fourth, fifth, and sixth sets, respectively. The average coefficients of variation for the fourth, fifth, and sixth sets were 6.7, 2.7, and 7.1%, respectively. These data suggest that the resistance training protocol used in this investigation is reliable and may be useful in evaluating interventions designed to improve fatigue resistance.

The objective of this investigation was to assess the use of performance enhancing supplements and side effects in Division II athletes at a Historically Black University (HBCU). Assessments of side effects of performance enhancing supplements are limited due to the inability to assess responses to the actual quantities consumed. Furthermore, little has been done to assess utilization of performance enhancing supplements at HBCUs. A two-part survey was developed to assess recreational drug use and performance enhancing supplement consumption and associated side effects. The survey was administered to 71 male and 41 female (age 20.3 ± 1.5 years) varsity athletes. Ninety-five percent of the athletes that completed the survey identified their race/ethnicity as African American. Athletes participated in football (39.3 percent), football and one additional sport (7.2 percent), basketball (n = 23.2 percent), track (1.8 percent), softball (9.8 percent), tennis (2.7 percent), cheerleading (6.3 percent), and volleyball (8.0 percent). No female athletes responded to the use of any type of performance enhancing supplement. Fifteen athletes that participated in football, two in basketball and one in track responded positively to creatine supplementation. The athletes responded they consumed recommended amounts or were unsure of the amount consumed. Three athletes complained of dehydration, two of diarrhea, one of anxiety/mood changes, one of increased heart rate at rest, one of cramping, and two of other side effects that were not identified in response to creatine supplementation. Two athletes that participated in football responded to supplementing androstendione. Neither reported dose or frequency of supplementation. One identified headaches as a side effect of androstendione supplementation. No athletes responded to the use of anabolic steroids. Creatine was the most popular performance-enhancing supplement in the present investigation. The amount of creatine consumed was inconsistent among the athletes. The reported side effects suggest an association between creatine supplementation and multiple systems side effects. More data needs to be collected to assess complications of creatine supplementation.

126 Prostaglandin-induced impairment of natural killer cell activity (NK) has been implicated in the suppression of NK during recovery from moderate to high intensity endurance exercise. Transient suppression of NK may place the host at increased risk of infection. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of oral indomethacin, a prostaglandin inhibitor, on NK response of isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) to high intensity endurance exercise. Ten, male distance runners completed one hour of treadmill running @85% VO2max under two conditions: IN (indomethacin, 150 mg day−1 for two days) and CON (no treatment). Trials were counter-balanced and separated by two weeks. NK (% lysis) was determined before (PRE), immediately after (POST) and 1.5 hours after completion of exercise (1.5P) using isolated PBMCs in a chromium release assay (51Cr, k562 target cells). PBMCs were incubated with target cells at four concentrations. No significant group effects or interactions were observed. Significant time effects revealed that NK was elevated POST (22.24 ± 2.76%; mean ± S.E.) relative to both PRE (8.06 ± 1.39%) and 1.5P (5.86 ± 1.06%). The percentage of NK cells (CD3−/16+/56+) was significantly higher POST (23.20 ± 1.53) relative to PRE (12.35 ± 1.55) and 1.5P (8.95 ± .90). Neither concentration nor distribution of NK cells was affected by 48 hours of indomethacin dosing. Indomethacin was not found to affect the NK response to acute, high-intensity endurance running.

227 We designed a resistance exercise protocol to evaluate the efficacy of ergogenic aids on short term resistance exercise performance. The purpose of the present investigation was to evaluate the reliability of this protocol. Six men (age: 32.8±1.6 yr, body mass: 89.3±8.1 kg and height: 1.81±0.10 m) participated in this investigation after giving their consent. Subjects' 10 repetition maximum (10 RM) was determined on a Nautilus leg extension device. A familiarization trial followed approximately one week later. After a warm-up set of 10 repetitions at 70% of 10 RM subjects performed six sets at 80% of 10 RM (1.5 seconds for concentric and 1.5 seconds for eccentric phases). Ten repetitions were performed during the first three sets; during the last three sets subjects exercised to fatigue which was considered the point where they were unable to attain 150 degrees of extension. Ninety seconds of seated passive recovery separated each set. Subsequently, two experimental trials were conducted in which the exercise protocol was identical to the familiarization trial. The familiarization trial and each of the experimental trials were separated by approximately one week. A one-way ANOVA with repeated measures was followed by paired t-tests (Bonferroni correction) to determine if there was significant fatigue from the 4th set to the 6th set. The intraclass correlation (ICC) and the average coefficient of variation (CV) were calculated for the 4th, 5th and 6th sets to determine reliability. There was a significant decline in performance from set 4 (13.5±0.9 reps) to set 5 (11.9±0.8 reps) and set 4 to set 6 (10.8±1.0 reps) suggesting that the protocol did induce fatigue. The ICCs were 0.999, 0.999, and 0.997 for the 4 th, 5 th, and 6th sets, respectively. The average CVs for the 4th, 5th, and 6th sets were 6.7%, 2.7% and 7.1%, respectively. These data suggest that the resistance training protocol used in this investigation is reliable and is sensitive enough to evaluate the efficacy of ergogenic aids.

991 Natural killer cell activity (NK) has been shown to be significantly reduced during recovery from high intensity or prolonged endurance exercise. Prostaglandin inhibition of natural killer cells has been implicated as a possible cause of this suppression. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of oral indomethacin, a prostaglandin inhibitor, on the NK response to high-intensity endurance exercise. Trained, male distance runners ran for one hour at 85% VO2max under two conditions: IN (indomethacin, 150 mg·day-1 for two days) and CON (no treatment). Trials were counter-balanced and separated by two weeks. NK (% lysis) was determined before (PRE), immediately after (POST) and 1.5 hours (1.5HP) after completion of each run using a whole blood assay (51Cr release: k562 target cells). There were no significant group or interactions present; however, significant time effects were present such that NK was elevated POST (39.49±10.12%: mean ± s.d.) relative to PRE (14.04 ±9.28%) and 1.5 HP (7.14 ±4.47%); and, 1.5HP was significantly lower than PRE(p<0.05). NK cell numbers (CD3-/CD16+/CD56+) were significantly elevated POST (647.25 ±295.52 cells·ul-1) relative to PRE (204.1±124.83 cells·ul-1) and 1.5HP (107.9 ±78.34 cells·ul-1); but, PRE was not different from 1.5HP. Cell numbers were unaffected by treatment with indomethacin. In conclusion, using a whole blood assay, 48 hours of oral indomethacin did not have an effect on NK responses following one hour of high intensity endurance running.

581 Sixteen males performed a preliminary eccentric exercise bout (biceps curl) using the non-dominant arm (5 sets × 10 rep @ 120% concentric 1RM) and were matched into groups based on initial soreness ratings and 1RM. These groups were then randomly assigned as either a supplement (SUP, 3600 mg d-1 sea cucumber extract) or placebo group (PLA). After 14 days on SUP OR PLA, subjects returned to the lab for a second bout of eccentric exercise using the dominant arm. Blood samples were obtained before the supplement period, and before (PRE), immediately after (POST) and 48 h (48P) after eccentric exercise. Serum was analyzed for creatine kinase (CK), complement C3a, and PGE2 using commercially available kits. Soreness ratings were determined (four sites) using a force transducer (17.6 N) and a Likert scale PRE, POST, 24 hours post (24P), and 48P. Relaxed elbow extension (joint angle) was measured at the same time points. There were no significant group or interaction effects observed for any of the dependent variables. There were significant time effects for CK, and muscle soreness ratings. CK was significantly higher at 48P (795.3 ± 333.2 IU/L) than PRE(61.9±6.32) and POST (188.1±20.8). Soreness ratings were significantly higher at 24P (1.3±0.2) and 48P (1.3±0.2) than PRE(0.4±0.1) or POST (0.6±0.1). Oral supplements high in chondroitin sulfate did not affect muscle soreness, CK, or markers of inflammation.