Brian P Carson

University of Limerick | UL · Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences

Skeletal muscle represents the largest organ in the body, comprises 36–42% of body weight, and has recently been recognized as having an endocrine function. Proteins expressed and released by muscle that have autocrine, paracrine, and endocrine bioactivities have been termed myokines. It is likely that muscle contraction represents the primary stim...

The importance of growth and maintenance of skeletal muscle is vital for long term health and quality of life. Appropriate nutrition with specific bioactivities relevant to the functionalities of tissues such as skeletal muscle, can assist in maintaining and promoting adaptive responses to biological and environmental stresses which prevent muscle...

Adiponectin is an adipokine secreted by white adipocytes involved in regulating insulin sensitivity in peripheral tissues. Secretion of adiponectin in adipocytes relies on the endosomal system, however, the intracellular machinery involved in mediating adiponectin release is unknown. We have previously reported that intracellular adiponectin partia...

Skeletal muscle contraction increases intracellular ATP turnover, calcium flux, and mechanical stress, initiating signal transduction pathways that modulate peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1alpha (PGC-1alpha)-dependent transcriptional programmes. The purpose of this study was to determine if the intensity of exercise re...

The insulin/IGF signaling pathway is a highly conserved regulator of metabolism in flies and mammals, regulating multiple physiological functions including lipid metabolism. Although insulin signaling is known to regulate the activity of a number of enzymes in metabolic pathways, a comprehensive understanding of how the insulin signaling pathway re...

Blue whiting (BW) represents an underutilised fish species containing a high-quality protein and amino acid (AA) profile with numerous potentially bioactive peptide sequences, making BW an economic and sustainable alternative source of protein. This study investigated the impact of three different BW protein hydrolysates (BWPH-X, Y and Z) on growth...

Purpose: To compare the effects of bilateral strength training (BLST) versus unilateral strength training (ULST) on changes in peak force (PF) and interlimb asymmetry (ILA) in the isometric squat at a 120° knee angle (ISq120). Method: A total of 31 young, recreationally strength-trained men performed either BLST (n = 18) or ULST (n = 13), twice...

Endurance training in fasted conditions (FAST) induces favorable skeletal muscle metabolic adaptations compared with carbohydrate feeding (CHO), manifesting in improved exercise performance over time. Sprint interval training (SIT) is a potent metabolic stimulus, however nutritional strategies to optimize adaptations to SIT are poorly characterized...

Purpose To investigate the response of a targeted fraction of (168 metabolites) of the resting serum metabolome to 9 sessions of sprint interval training (SIT). Methods Thirty-four recreationally active males provided resting blood samples before (baseline) and 48–72 h after (post) a short-term (9 sessions) cycle ergometer-based SIT intervention....

Background Increasing evidence highlights that accumulating sitting time in prolonged bouts is detrimental to cardiometabolic health. Objectives This systematic review aimed to compare the effects of fractionating prolonged sitting with frequent short bouts of standing and light-intensity walking on cardiometabolic health markers and conduct a met...

This study aimed to evaluate systematic reviews and meta-analyses that have examined the effect of exercise training on VO2max in healthy individuals at different intensities. Five databases were searched: EBSCOhost, MEDLINE/PubMed, SPORTDiscus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Eligibility criteria for selecting reviews included systematic revie...

Sprint interval training (SIT) is a time efficient alternative to endurance exercise, conferring beneficial skeletal muscle metabolic adaptations. Current literature has investigated the nutritional regulation of acute and chronic exercise-induced metabolic adaptations in muscle following endurance exercise, principally comparing the impact of trai...

This study aimed to investigate the test-retest reliability of peak force in the isometric squat across the strength spectrum using coefficient of variation (CV) and intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). On two separate days, 59 healthy men (mean (SD) age 23.0 (4.1) years; height 1.79 (0.7) m; body mass 84.0 (15.2) kg) performed three maximal...

Supplementing postexercise carbohydrate (CHO) intake with protein has been suggested to enhance recovery from endurance exercise. The aim of this study was to investigate whether adding protein to the recovery drink can improve 24-hr recovery when CHO intake is suboptimal. In a double-blind crossover design, 12 trained men performed three 2-day tri...

Aside from total time spent in physical activity behaviors, how time is accumulated is important for health. This study examined associations between sitting, standing, and stepping bouts, with cardiometabolic health markers in older adults. Participants from the Mitchelstown Cohort Rescreen Study ( N = 221) provided cross-sectional data on activit...

New findings: What is the central question of this study? Description and testing of a custom-designed multiplex gene expression assay to quantitate expression levels of a targeted group of mitochondrial genes in human skeletal muscle. What is the main finding and its importance? This study describes the development of a custom-designed GeXP multi...

ObjectiveA 24-hour day is made up of time spent in a range of physical activity (PA) behaviours, including sleep, sedentary time, standing, light-intensity PA (LIPA) and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), all of which may have the potential to alter an individual’s health through various different pathways and mechanisms. This study aimed to explore t...

Fish-derived proteins, particularly fish protein hydrolysates (FPH), offer potential as high-quality sources of dietary protein, whilst enhancing economic and environmental sustainability. This study investigated the impact of a blue whiting-derived protein hydrolysate (BWPH) on ami-noacidaemia in vivo and skeletal muscle anabolism in vitro compare...

Fish protein represents one of the most widely consumed dietary protein sources by humans. The processing of material from the fishing industry generates substantial unexploited waste products, many of which possess high biological value. Protein hydrolysates, such as fish protein hydrolysates (FPH), containing predominantly di- and tripeptides, ar...

Weight-bearing exercise is associated with bone mineral accrual and maintenance. However, endurance exercise acutely increases bone resorption assessed by plasma C-terminal cross linked telopeptide type 1 collagen (CTX). Increased bone resorption is associated with increased fracture risk, particularly if not accompanied by an increase in bone form...

Using a pre-post design, we investigated state anxiety and worry responses to a single Wingate, three weeks of sprint interval training (SIT), and, change in response to a single Wingate. Differences between males with and without elevated worry were explored. Thirty-eight young adult males, 18 with elevated worry (Penn State Worry Questionnaire [P...

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of whey protein supplementation on myofibrillar protein synthesis (myoPS) and muscle recovery over a 7-d period of intensified resistance training (RT). Methods: In a double-blind randomised parallel group design, 16 resistance-trained men aged 18 to 35 years completed a 7-d RT prot...

In this study we used a recently developed ex vivo-in vitro model to assess the effect of feeding older adults a casein protein hydrolysate (CPH) compared with non-bioactive non-essential amino acid (NEAA) supplement on Muscle Protein Synthesis (MPS) and Breakdown (MPB). Serum from six healthy older males following overnight fast and 60 min postpra...

For children and young people with disabilities accumulating the recommended minimum of 60 min per day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) is difficult to obtain. Much of this has been attributed to a lack of programmes and untrained staff who cannot effectively modify or adapt activities for people with disabilities. Given these barri...

Background All physical activity (PA) behaviours undertaken over the day, including sleep, sedentary time, standing time, light-intensity PA (LIPA) and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) have the potential to influence cardiometabolic health. Since these behaviours are mutually exclusive, standard statistical approaches are unable to account for the im...

Purpose The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of treating skeletal muscle cells with media conditioned by postprandial ex vivo human serum fed with either isonitrogenous Non-Essential Amino Acid (NEAA) or a whey protein hydrolysate (WPH) on stimulating Muscle Protein Synthesis (MPS) in C2C12 skeletal muscle cells. Methods Blood was t...

Purpose The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of treating skeletal muscle cells with media conditioned by postprandial ex vivo human serum fed with either isonitrogenous NEAA or a whey protein hydrolysate (WPH) on stimulating MPS in C2C12 skeletal muscle cells. Methods Blood was taken from six young healthy males following overnight f...

The aim of this study was to test the effects of two disparate isonitrogenous, isocaloric pre-exercise feeds on deuterium-oxide (D2O) derived measures of myofibrillar protein synthesis (myoPS) in humans. Methods: In a double-blind parallel group design, 22 resistance-trained men aged 18 to 35 years ingested a meal (6 kcal·kg−1, 0.8 g·kg−1 carbohydr...

New findings: What is the research question? This study used a new experimental model, in which culture medium is conditioned with human serum ex vivo, to investigate nutrient-mediated regulation of GLUT4 translocation in skeletal muscle cells in vitro. What is the main finding and importance? Human serum stimulated GLUT4 translocation, an effect...

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of fatiguing exercise on sex-related differences in the function of hamstring and quadriceps muscles at several angular velocities and joint angles. Physically active participants (50 male: 28.7 ± 4.5y, 1.82 ± 0.07 m, 82.3 ± 6.87 kg; 50 female: 27.0 ± 5.8y, 1.61 ± 0.08 m, 68.75 ± 9.24 kg) carried...

To investigate sex differences in the temporal recovery of neuromuscular function following resistance training (RT), eleven men and eight women 18–35 years completed a single RT bout (barbell back-squats, 80 % 1RM, 5 sets × 5 reps, 25 % duty cycle, then 1 set × max reps). Measures of muscle function (isometric, concentric, eccentric knee extensor...

Objective The aim of this research was the development and validation of a translational model for the evaluation of exercise and nutrient stimulated muscle protein synthesis (MPS). To achieve this overall aim, three primary objectives had to be realised: (i) Development of an in vitro skeletal muscle cell bioassay to measure muscle growth and MPS;...

Twenty‐three resistance trained men 18 to 35 y (23 (3) y, 1.8 (0.1) m, 81 (10) kg body mass, 2.3 (1.1) y resistance training experience; mean (SD)) performed repeated maximal voluntary isometric squats (ISQ) and countermovement jumps (CMJ) pre‐ and +30 min post a unilateral microbiopsy of m. vastus lateralis. ISQ and CMJ were simultaneously measure...

Work exploring the relationships between low intensity physical activity behaviours (sedentary time, standing time and light-intensity physical activity) and body composition (body mass, BMI, body fat, fat mass and fat-free mass) markers in older adults.

New findings: What is the central question of this study? Can medium conditioned by ex vivo human serum regulate muscle protein synthesis in skeletal muscle cells in vitro? What is the main finding and its importance? This study demonstrates that medium conditioned by ex vivo human serum can regulate muscle protein synthesis in skeletal muscle cel...

Sedentary time is viewed as an independent risk factor for adverse cardiometabolic health (CMH). No systematic review and meta-analysis on the cross-sectional associations between objectively measured sedentary time and CMH markers has been conducted. PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science Core Collection were searched for papers that examined the cross...

Whey protein (WP) is a widely consumed nutritional supplement, known to enhance strength and muscle mass during resistance training (RT) regimens. Muscle protein anabolism is acutely elevated following RT, which is further enhanced by WP. As a result, there is reason to suggest that WP supplementation may be an effective nutritional strategy for re...

Numerous cut-points exist to measure physical activity by accelerometry. The ability to compare accelerometer findings from different devices from different locations may be advantageous to researchers. This study aimed to develop and validate cut-points for 1.5, 3, and 6 METs in five activity monitors simultaneously. Fifty-six participants (mean a...

Acute exercise seems to increase total plasma homocysteine (tHcy). That is related to cardiovascular risk, therefore it is important to understand the determinants of its response to all types of exercise. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of cycling at two different rates of muscle contraction on the complete tHcy kinetics. Eight you...

To examine and compare sex-related differences in the functioning of the hamstrings and quadriceps muscles and the isokinetic hamstrings eccentric-to-quadriceps concentric functional ratio (H/Q FUNC). Fifty male and 46 female young adults completed this study. Each participant carried out an isokinetic assessment to determine isokinetic concentric...

The Influence of All Aspects pf Physical Activity on Cardiometabolic Health in an Irish Adult Population

Abstract Purpose To examine and compare sex-related differences in the functioning of the hamstrings and quadriceps muscles and the isokinetic hamstrings eccentric-to-quadriceps concentric functional ratio (H/Q FUNC). Methods Fifty male and 46 female young adults completed this study. Each participant carried out an isokinetic assessment to determi...

Activity monitors such as the SenseWear Pro3 (SWP3) and the activPAL3 Micro (aP3M) are regularly used by researchers and practitioners to provide estimates of the metabolic cost (METs) of activities in free-living settings. The purpose of this study is to examine the accuracy of the MET predictions from the SWP3 and the aP3M compared to the criteri...

Maximum- and reactive-strength qualities both have important roles in athletic movements and sporting performance. Very little research has investigated the relationship between maximum-strength and reactive-strength. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between maximum-strength (isometric mid-thigh pull peak force; IMTP PF) an...

Cycling economy (CE), power at maximal oxygen uptake (WV̇O2max) and anaerobic function (i.e. sprinting ability) are considered to be the best physiological performance indicators in elite road cyclists. In addition to cardiovascular function, these physiological indicators are partly dictated by neuromuscular factors. One technique to improve neuro...

Running economy (RE) and velocity at maximal oxygen uptake (vVO2 max) are considered to be the best physiological performance indicators in elite distance runners. In addition to cardiovascular function, RE and vVO2 max are partly dictated by neuromuscular factors. One technique to improve neuromuscular function in athletes is through strength trai...

INTRODUCTION Recent research suggests that strength training can improve time-trial performance, economy, V 2max and maximum anaerobic running velocity in competitive distance runners (1). The aim of this study was to monitor the changes in maximal- and reactive-strength qualities throughout 40 weeks of strength training (20 week pre-season & 20 we...

Thresholds are based on preliminary data and are not confirmed as of yet.

Introduction Strength training can improve neuromuscular function in athletes (Zatsiorky, 1995). Previous literature has demonstrated that strength training can improve key performance indicators (i.e. economy, velocity at 2 max, & anaerobic power/capacity) in competitive distance runners (Beattie et al., 2014). However, the practice of strength tr...

Introduction Metabolic flexibility (MF) is defined as a system’s ability to switch substrate oxidation in response to fuel availability and demand (Kelley and Mandarino 2002). An inability to switch from fat to carbohydrate oxidation post-prandial and a preference for glucose oxidation in the fasted state as found in metabolically inflexible indivi...

Abstract Jockeys regularly engage in rapid weight-loss practices in preparation for competition. These practices are thought to impair cognitive function, although the evidence in support of this theory remains inconclusive. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of making-weight on cognitive function in apprentice jockeys in a simula...

Economy and peak velocity at VO2 max (v VO2 max) are now thought to be the main performance indicator in elite distance runners (1). Economy is the amount of metabolic energy expended at a given velocity. v VO2 max(vVO2 max)is the running velocity attained at the end of a maximum oxygen uptake test. In addition to cardiovascular output, economy and...

Introduction: Metabolic flexibility (MF) is defined as a system’s ability to switch substrate oxidation in response to fuel availability and demand. An inability to switch from fat to carbohydrate oxidation post-prandial and a preference for glucose oxidation in the fasted state as found in metabolically inflexible individuals has been linked to di...

Physical activity (PA) is associated with decreased risk for diseases such as CVD, Diabetes, Cancer, anxiety and depression, and can result in improvements in cognitive function and bone health in children (Jannsen & LeBlanc, 2010: International Journal of Behavioural Nutrition & Physical Activity, 7:40). Physical Education (PE) represents an oppor...

Metabolic flexibility is termed the body’s ability to adapt fuel oxidation to fuel availability and demand. Metabolic inflexibility, whereby the capacity to switch between fat and glucose oxidation in response to a meal is impaired and preference is for glucose oxidation in the fasted state has implications for metabolic diseases such as obesity an...

Economy, velocity/power at maximal oxygen uptake ([Formula: see text]) and endurance-specific muscle power tests (i.e. maximal anaerobic running velocity; vMART), are now thought to be the best performance predictors in elite endurance athletes. In addition to cardiovascular function, these key performance indicators are believed to be partly dicta...

Introduction Economy is now thought to be one of the main performance indicators in elite distance runners. Economy is the amount of metabolic energy expended at a given velocity. In addition to cardiovascular capacity, economy is believed to be partly dictated by the neuromuscular system (Paavolainen et al 1999). Reactive-strength is the ability o...

Overweight and obesity are defined as ‘excessive fat accumulation which may impair health’. We need to control the levels of fat in our body by balancing our food consumption against our energy demands. Physical activity and exercise represent an excellent means of increasing our energy expenditure, but more than that, they can also promote healthy...