Ryan Lowery

• Doctor of Philosophy
• CEO at Concordia University Chicago

Studies utilizing beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB) supplementation in trained populations are limited. No long-term studies utilizing HMB free acid (HMB-FA) have been conducted. Therefore, we investigated the effects of 12 weeks of HMB-FA supplementation on skeletal muscle hypertrophy, body composition, strength, and power in trained individu...

We previously demonstrated that static stretching was associated with a decrease in running economy and distance run during a 30-minute time trial in trained runners. Recently, the detrimental effects of static stretching on economy were found to be limited to the first few minutes of an endurance bout. However, economy remains to be studied for it...

Vascular blood flow restriction (vBFR) training stimulates muscle hypertrophy by increasing muscle activation and muscle swelling. Previous studies used expensive pneumatic cuffs, which may not be practical for regular use. PURPOSE:: To investigate the acute effects of low intensity practical BFR (LI-pBFR) on muscle activation, muscle swelling and...

The purpose of the present study was to determine the effects of short-term supplementation with the free acid form of β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB-FA) on indices of muscle damage, protein breakdown, recovery and hormone status following a high-volume resistance training session in trained athletes. A total of twenty resistance-trained males wer...

Background: Numerous mobile phone applications have been developed with the goal of producing behavior changes that lead to weight loss and enhanced health. However, the evidence basis for these applications is often lacking, which renders them ineffective for altering health behaviors. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the potent...

BACKGROUND Numerous mobile phone applications have been developed with the goal of producing behavior changes that lead to weight loss and enhanced health. However, the evidence basis for these applications is often lacking, which renders them ineffective for altering health behaviors. OBJECTIVE Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine...

Geranylgeraniol (GG), an ingredient extracted from the South American annatto plant, has been shown to benefit bone and muscle health, is crucial in the biosynthesis of menaquinone-4 and coenzyme Q10, and has pain and inflammation reduction activities. However, no known studies to date have demonstrated the safety and impact of GG supplementation i...

(1) Background: Iron deficiency without anemia (IDWA) is a prevalent health concern in premenopausal women. Oral supplementation of iron may be a viable solution to improve blood-iron status in women; however, the effects of a high-dose iron-supplement regimen have been associated with gastrointestinal side effects. Therefore, the purpose of the pr...

Background: Vitamin E (α-tocopherol) is an essential micronutrient for human health and optimal physiological function. Inadequacy may be common due to a lack of bioavailability. The use of dietary lipids alongside other emulsification agents may elicit more robust serum concentrations of α-tocopherol via improved bioavailability. Therefore, the a...

Purpose This study compared the effects of offset loading (OSL) versus traditional loading (TDL) in the bench press exer-cise on pectoral muscle thickness and bench press strength over a 4-week mesocycle. Methods: Twenty male participantsaged 18–45 years with at least 5 years of bench press experience and a bench press one-repetition maximum equal...

Modifications to the Main Text [...].

L-carnitine tartrate has been shown to improve relatively short-term recovery among athletes. However, there is a lack of research on the longer-term effects in the general population. Objective: The primary objectives of this randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled trial were to evaluate the effects of daily L-carnitine tartrate supplementat...

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of an immersive seminar, which included moderate intensities of physical activity, on learning when compared to traditional lecture format. Twenty-six healthy participants were randomly divided into an immersive seminar or traditional lecture format group and presented material related to positi...

Purpose: This study investigated the effects of marine phytoplankton supplementation (Oceanix®, Tetraselmis chuii) on 1) maximal isometric strength and immune function in healthy humans following a oneweek high-intensity resistance-training program and 2) the proinflammatory cytokine response to exercise in a rat model. Methods: In the human tri...

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, very low-carbohydrate, moderate-protein diet that will induce a state of ketosis, but because of its restrictive nature, it may be difficult to adhere to, especially in adolescents. Supplementing with exogenous beta-hydroxybutyrate salts may induce a state of temporary ketosis without any undesirable side effects,...

Baseball throwing is typically performed with one dominant arm, and after years of throwing, the skills becomes autonomous and improvement is slowed. Incorporating training of the non-dominant arm could induce a cross-education effect and assist in improving the dominant throwing arm. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the effect...

This study investigated the effects of marine phytoplankton supplementation on 1) perceived recovery and ground reaction forces in humans following a non-functional overreaching resistance-training program and 2) myogenic molecular markers associated with muscle cell recovery in a rat model. In the human trial, a 5-week resistance-training program...

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, very low-carbohydrate, moderate-protein diet that will induce a state of ketosis. Ketosis is a metabolic state characterized by elevated ketone body production in response to the absence of carbohydrates. Some drawbacks of the ketogenic diet are that it can be difficult to adhere to due to its restrictive nature, a...

Background Muscle mass is an important determinant of metabolic health and physical function. It has previously been demonstrated that the postprandial rise in circulating essential amino acids acts as the main stimulus for muscle protein synthesis (MPS). The current study investigated the postprandial plasma essential amino acid (EAA) and branched...

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of antioxidant-rich marine phytoplankton supplementation (Oceanix, OCX) on performance and muscle damage following a cross-training event in endurance-trained subjects. Additionally, an animal model was carried out to assess the effects of varying dosages of OCX, with exercise, on intramuscula...

Objectives The purpose of this study was to investigate marine phytoplankton supplementation (Microalgae Tetraselmis chuii, Oceanix™, OCX) that is rich in antioxidant enzymes, essential fatty acids, vitamins, amino acids and minerals on Explosive Strength (ES), and Immune Function during short term intensive training. Methods Trained male and fema...

Extended periods of intensified physical training results in decrements in physical and perceptual recovery. As a result, nutritional recovery methods are highly sought after. Purpose This study investigated targeted enriched marine phytoplankton supplementation (Microalgae Tetraselmis chuii, Oceanix™, OCX) on Perceived Recovery (PRS) and Explosiv...

Introduction: Practice schedules have been widely researched in laboratory tasks but remain limited in sport specific skills such as the baseball swing. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the effect of random (RD) versus blocked (BL) practice on the dominant side (well learned) and non-dominant side (novel) baseball swing. Method...

Background: Muscle mass is an important determinant of metabolic health and physical function. It has previously been demonstrated that the postprandial rise in circulating essential amino acids (EAA) acts as the main stimulus for muscle protein synthesis (MPS). This study investigated postprandial plasma amino acid (AA) responses of 2 different f...

OBJECTIVE Ketogenic diets (KD) have been investigated for their ability to alter body composition as well as a possible nutritional intervention for epilepsy; however, little is known about long‐term adherence to a KD and its physiological impact. Considering the fat content of a KD and recent research that show a high fat diet may cause cardiac hy...

Introduction Krill oil supplementation has been shown to improve postexercise immune function; however, its effect on muscle hypertrophy is currently unknown. Therefore, the aim of present study was to investigate the ability of krill oil to stimulate mTOR signaling and its ability to augment resistance training-induced changes in body composition...

PurposeThe optimal health benefits of curcumin are limited by its low solubility in water and corresponding poor intestinal absorption. Cyclodextrins (CD) can form inclusion complexes on a molecular basis with lipophilic compounds, thereby improving aqueous solubility, dispersibility, and absorption. In this study, we investigated the bioavailabili...

Dietary fibre refers to nutrients in the diet that gastrointestinal enzymes do not digest. If properly labelled, dietary fibres should not significantly elevate blood glucose or insulin and should ferment in the large intestine. Because of the recent rise in low-carbohydrate products on the market, consumers use these various fibres without adequat...

Adopting low carbohydrate, ketogenic diets remains a controversial issue for individuals who resistance train given that this form of dieting has been speculated to reduce skeletal muscle glycogen levels and stifle muscle anabolism. We sought to characterize the effects of a 12-week ketogenic diet (KD) on body composition, metabolic, and performanc...

We determined the short- and long-term effects of a ketogenic diet (KD) or ketone salt (KS) supplementation on multi-organ oxidative stress and mitochondrial markers. For short-term feedings, 4 month-old male rats were provided isocaloric amounts of KD (n = 10), standard chow (SC) (n = 10) or SC + KS (~1.2 g/day, n = 10). For long-term feedings, 4...

Alterations in transcriptional and translational mechanisms occur during skeletal muscle aging and such changes may contribute to age-related atrophy. Herein, we examined markers related to global transcriptional output (i.e., myonuclear number, total mRNA and RNA pol II levels), translational efficiency [i.e., eukaryotic initiation and elongation...

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of post-workout consumption of beef protein isolate (Beef), hydrolyzed chicken protein (Chx) or whey protein concentrate (WPC), compared to a control on lean mass and strength during 8 weeks of resistance training. Forty-one males and females were randomized into four groups: WPC (m=5, f=5; Age...

Methods: Twenty-five college aged men were divided into a KD or traditional WD from weeks 1-10, with a reintroduction of carbohydrates from weeks 10-11, while participating in a resistance-training program. Body composition, strength, power, and blood lipid profiles were determined at week 0, 10 and 11. A comprehensive metabolic panel and testoste...

We examined if 6 weeks of progressive resistance-loaded voluntary wheel running in rats induced plantaris, soleus, and/or gastrocnemius hypertrophy and/or affected markers of translational efficiency, ribosome biogenesis, and markers of proteolysis. For 6 weeks, 8 male Sprague-Dawley rats (~9-10 weeks of age, ~300-325 g) rats were assigned to the p...

Objective: Oral adenosine-5'-triphosphate (ATP) administration has failed to increase plasma ATP levels; however, chronic supplementation with ATP has shown to increase power, strength, lean body mass, and blood flow in trained athletes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of ATP supplementation on postexercise ATP levels and...

Purpose: Ketogenic diets (KD) can facilitate weight loss, but their effects on skeletal muscle remain equivocal. In this experiment we investigated the effects of two diets on skeletal muscle mitochondrial coupling, mitochondrial complex activity, markers of oxidative stress, and gene expression in sedentary and resistance exercised rats. Methods:...

Many sports involve repeated bouts of high-intensity exercise. High-intensity exercise is compromised, however, by the early onset of exercise-induced fatigue. Metabolic by-products, ion dysbalance and amount of phosphocreatine are considered the main peripheral causes of fatigue during high-intensity exercise. Intake of nutritional ergogenic aids...

Effects of MusclePharm Assault BlackTM on lower extremity spinal excitability and postactivation potentiation: A pilot study Brian Wallace*, Haley Bergstrom, Kelly Wallace Department of Kinesiology and Health Promotion, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA Email: brian.wallace@uky.edu; brian.wallace@northern.edu Background: Caffeine h...

Objective: Probiotics have been reported to support healthy digestive and immune function, aid in protein absorption, and decrease inflammation. Further, a trend to increase vertical jump power has been observed following co-administration of protein and probiotics in resistance-trained subjects. However, to date the potential beneficial effect of...

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Adenosine-5'-triphosphate (ATP) supplementation helps maintain performance under high fatiguing contractions and with greater fatigue recovery demands also increase. Current evidence suggests that the free acid form of β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB-FA) acts by speeding regenerative capacity of skeletal muscle following high intensity or prolonged...

We investigated the effects different diets on adipose tissue, liver and serum morphology and biomarkers in rats that voluntarily exercised. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (~9-10 weeks of age) exercised with resistance-loaded voluntary running wheels (EX; wheels loaded with 20-60% body mass) or remained sedentary (SED) over 6 weeks. EX and SED rats were...

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Fortetropin on skeletal muscle growth and strength in resistance-trained individuals and to investigate the anabolic and catabolic signaling effects using human and rodent models. Methods: In the rodent model, male Wistar rats (250 g) were gavage fed with either 1.2 ml of tap...

Background The primary purpose of this investigation was to examine the effects of arachidonic acid (ARA) supplementation on functional performance and body composition in trained males. In addition, we performed a secondary study looking at molecular responses of ARA supplementation following an acute exercise bout in rodents. Methods Thirty stre...

Periods of intense training can elicit an acute decline in performance and body composition associated with weakened hormone profiles. This study investigated the effects of a multi-ingredient performance supplement (MIPS) on body composition and hormone levels in college athletes following a six-week training protocol. Twenty male college athletes...

OBJECTIVE Ribosome biogenesis is an essential process for regulating skeletal muscle mass by facilitating muscle protein synthesis. Aging results in numerous alterations in skeletal muscle; specifically, a decline in protein synthesis in skeletal muscle. However, less is known about the functional impact of the ribosome in aging skeletal muscle. Th...

PURPOSE Muscle protein synthesis (MPS) and muscle protein degradation (MPD) are well known modulators for muscle mass maintenance. Given that slow‐twitch skeletal muscle atrophies with aging, we sought to examine the effects of aging on MPS and MPD markers in the soleus muscle of rodents ranging from 3 to 24 months. MEHTODS Male Fischer 344 rats (...

Low‐carbohydrate diets (LCD) can facilitate weight loss, but their effects on skeletal muscle remain equivocal. In this experiment we investigated the effects of three diets on skeletal muscle gene expression in sedentary and resistance exercised rats. Male Sprague‐Dawley rats (9–10 weeks of age, 300–325 g) were divided into three groups: fed a sta...

OBJECTIVE Muscle protein synthesis (MPS) and muscle protein degradation (MPD) are well known modulators for muscle mass maintenance. Given that fast‐twitch skeletal muscle atrophies with aging, we sought to examine the effects of aging on MPS and MPD markers in the plantaris muscle of rodents ranging from 3 to 24 months. MEHTODS Male Fischer 344 r...

Very low‐carbohydrate (ketogenic) diets are becoming increasingly popular as weight loss interventions. This study examined the effects of ketogenic (KD), Western (WD), and standard chow (SC) control diets in sedentary (SED) and physically active (EX) rats on adipocyte size and beiging in three fat depots. METHODS Male Sprague‐Dawley rats (~9–10 w...

Objective Low‐carbohydrate ketogenic diets (LCKDs) are a common modality to facilitate weight loss/control; however, the frequency of adherence needed to attain these benefits has not been adequately described. In addition, LCKDs have the propensity to elevate circulating ketone bodies, thus supplementing ketones may confer additional health benefi...

We examined whether acute and/or chronic skeletal muscle anabolism is impaired with a low carbohydrate diet formulated to elicit ketosis (LCKD) versus a mixed-macronutrient Western diet (WD). Male Sprague-Dawley rats (9-10 weeks of age, 300-325 g) were provided isoenergetic amounts of a LCKD or a WD for 6 weeks. In AIM 1, basal serum and gastrocnem...

Phosphatidic acid (PA) is a diacyl-glycerophospholipid that acts as a signaling molecule in numerous cellular processes. Recently, PA has been proposed to stimulate skeletal muscle protein accretion, but mechanistic studies are lacking. Furthermore, it is unknown whether co-ingesting PA with other leucine-containing ingredients can enhance intramus...

Introduction: The probiotic Bacillus coagulans (GanedenBC30) has been shown to support healthy digestive and immune function. A recent pilot study in athletes indicated that co-ingestion of GanedenBC30 with a slow digesting protein during an 8-week full body workout increased performance in resistance trained athletes. We speculate that GanedenBC30...

Pre-workout supplements (PWS) have become increasingly popular with recreational and competitive athletes. While many ingredients used in PWS have had their safety assessed, the interactions when combined are less understood. The purpose of this study was to examine the safety of 1 and 2 servings of a PWS. Forty-four males and females (24.4±4.6 yea...

Introduction The probiotic GanedenBC30 (Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086; Ganeden Biotech Inc., Maryfield Heights, OH) has been shown to support healthy digestive and immune function, including increased protein absorption. In a pilot study, daily co-administration of GanedenBC30 and protein in resistance-trained subjects performing full body workou...

Background Whey protein is considered to be the optimal protein source to support muscle protein synthesis (MPS) with resistance training, based on its amino acid content (high in leucine), rapid digestibility, and high bioavailability within the muscle tissue [1]. Athletes can choose from different plant protein sources (e.g. soy, rice, pea, hemp)...

Abstract There has been much debate as to optimal loading strategies for maximising the adaptive response to resistance exercise. The purpose of this paper therefore was to conduct a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials to compare the effects of low-load (≤60% 1 repetition maximum [RM]) versus high-load (≥65% 1 RM) training in enhancing po...

Creatine monohydrate has become a very popular nutritional supplement for its ergogenic effects. The safety of creatine monohydrate has previously been confirmed. However with each novel form of creatine that emerges, its safety must be verified. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the safety of a novel form of creatine, creatine ni...

In spite of the well-known benefits that have been shown, few studies have looked at the practical applications of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on athletic performance. This study investigated the effects of a HIIT program compared to traditional continuous endurance exercise training. 24 hockey players were randomly assigned to either a...

Background: This study investigated comparative concentrations of individual amino acids, total amino acids (TAA), non-essential amino acids (NEA) and essential amino acids (EAA) in the blood after the administration of Rice Protein Isolate (RPI) compared to Whey Protein Isolate (WPI). Methods: After a 12 hour overnight fast, 10 trained male subjec...

Unlabelled: This study compared quadriceps muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) and maximum strength (1RM) after three different short-term strength training (ST) regimens (i.e. non-periodized [NP], traditional-periodization [TP], and undulating-periodization [UP]) matched for volume load in previously untrained individuals. Thirty-one recreationally...

Background While growing evidence suggests beneficial effects of probiotics on the gut-brain-axis, only a limited number of studies have investigated the impact of gut microbiota modulation on muscle physiology (gut-muscle-axis). The probiotic BC30 (Ganeden Biotech Inc., Maryfield Heights, OH) has been shown to increase protein absorption and the a...

Background Most pre-workout supplements are based on the stimulant caffeine, containing anywhere from 100-300 mg of caffeine in a serving. While research has confirmed increased mental focus and acuity from the use of caffeine, stimulant sensitive individuals should assess their tolerance before using pre-workout supplements containing caffeine. Ca...

Background Human and cell culture studies have demonstrated that phosphatidic acid (PA) can increase muscle mass and anabolic signaling, respectively. However, no in vivo evidence to date has examined whether PA can increase intramuscular anabolic signaling in vivo. The purpose of this study was to examine – a) if PA feeding acutely increases post-...

Introduction The lipid messenger phosphatidic acid (PA) plays a critical role in the stimulation of mTOR signaling. However, the mechanism by which PA stimulates mTOR is currently unknown. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the effects of various PA precursors and phospholipids on their ability to stimulate mTOR signaling and its a...

Introduction Extracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) stimulates vasodilation by binding to endothelial ATP-selective P2Y2 receptors; a phenomenon, which is posited to be accelerated during exercise. Herein, we used a rat model to examine how different dosages of acute oral ATP administration affected the femoral blood flow response prior to, dur...

The potential health benefits of curcumin are limited by its poor solubility, low absorption from the gut, rapid metabolism and rapid systemic elimination. The purpose of this study was the comparative measurement of the increases in levels of curcuminoids (curcumin, demethoxycurcumin, bisdemethoxycurcumin) and the metabolite tetrahydrocurcumin aft...

Resistance training in combination with practical blood flow restriction (pBFR) is thought to stimulate muscle hypertrophy by increasing muscle activation and muscle swelling. Most previous studies used the KAATSU device; however, little long-term research has been completed using pBFR. To investigate the effects of pBFR on muscle hypertrophy. Twen...