Kent J. Adams’s research while affiliated with California State University, Monterey Bay and other places

Citation: Climstein, M.; Graham, K.S.; Stapelberg, M.; Walsh, J.; DeBeliso, M.; Adams, K.; Sevene, T.; Harris, C. Electrocardiographic Assessment of National-Level Triathletes: Sinus Bradycardia and Other Electrocardiographic Abnormalities. Sports 2025, 13, 25. Abstract: Background: High-intensity endurance training induces specific cardiac adaptations , often observed through electrocardiographic (ECG) changes. This study investigated the prevalence of ECG abnormalities in national-level Australian triathletes compared to sedentary controls. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted involving 22 triathletes and 7 sedentary controls. Standard 12-lead ECGs assessed resting heart rate, ECG intervals, and axis deviation. Peak oxygen consumption was evaluated in triath-letes to correlate with ECG indices and left ventricular mass, derived via echocardiography. Results: Triathletes exhibited significantly lower resting heart rates (53.8 vs. 72.1 bpm, −34%, p = 0.04), shorter QRS durations (0.088 vs. 0.107 ms, −21.6%, p = 0.01), and longer QT intervals (0.429 vs. 0.358 ms, +16.6%, p = 0.01) compared to controls. Sinus bradycardia was present in 68.2% of triathletes, with varying severity. First-degree atrioventricular block was identified in 13.6% of athletes, and left ventricular hypertrophy was confirmed in 18 triathletes via echocardiography. A significant positive relationship was identified between VO 2 peak and left ventricular mass (r = 0.68, p = 0.003). Conclusions: National-level triathletes exhibited ECG and structural cardiac adaptations consistent with high-intensity endurance training. Echocardiography is recommended for the accurate identification of LVH. These findings highlight the need for comprehensive cardiac evaluation in athletes to distinguish between physiological and pathological adaptations.

Creatine supplementation commonly increases intracellular water and/or lean mass- associated weight gain and concomitantly improves short-term, high-intensity performance such as repeated sprint ability. Research in this regard is both generally sparse but specifically more so in younger soccer athletes. PURPOSE: To determine the effect of 28 days of creatine monohydrate supplementation on body weight and running anaerobic sprint performance (RAST) time in youth soccer players. METHODS: Sixteen male youth soccer players were randomized in double-blinded fashion to either 28 days of creatine monohydrate supplementation (CRE; 15.9±0.35y) or an equivalently-dosed dextrose (PLA; 15.5±0.54y; 0.3g/kg/d for the first seven days, followed by 0.03g/kg/d for the remaining 21-day period). Subjects maintained their typical diet and training routines throughout the study. Subjects measured their body weight (BW) and performed RASTs both prior to (PRE) and following (POST) supplementation, consisting of 10 second rest intervals between six maximal 35m runs. RAST time and associated (mean [mP] and peak [pP]) power was determined via a Speed Test FIT CEFISE photocell system. Changes from PRE-to-POST BW were analyzed using an independent samples t-test. Changes from PRE-to- POST RAST time (∆Time), as well as mP (∆mP) and pP (∆pP) were assessed by separate two- way (condition [CRE, PLA] x RAST trial number [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]) repeated measures ANOVA. Statistical analyses were performed at a p<.05 significance level. RESULTS: Analyses revealed a significant change in BW (p>0.001; Cohen’s D=0.409) in CRE that was not observed in PLA (1.09±0.314kg vs - 0.08±0.259kg, respectively). There was no significant main condition, RAST trial number, nor interaction effects for ∆Time, ∆mP, or ∆pP (p>0.05 in all cases). CONCLUSION: Creatine supplementation did not meaningfully enhance RAST-associated sprint times or associated power metrics in youth soccer players. Results corroborate previous literature via increased body weight in youth soccer athletes, but the source of this weight is unknown (intracellular water, lean mass, fat mass, etc.). Future research should continue to elucidate the impact of creatine in this demographic by employing a standardized training protocol to further eliminate possible extraneous variables.

Turkesterone is a relatively novel and popular phytoecdysteroid compound among physically active adults. In spite of its initial investigations through rodent studies, turkesterone maintains purported benefits in enhancing body composition notable absence of supporting human data. PURPOSE: This study aimed to explore the impact of various turkesterone doses on resting metabolic rate (RMR), substrate utilization, and resting hemodynamic variables in healthy human subjects. METHODS: Eleven recreationally active males (23.3±2.2y) participated in a single-blind, placebo-controlled, counter- balanced crossover study. They were randomly assigned to receive either a cellulose placebo (PLA), 1000mg turkesterone + 1000mg placebo (1000T), or 2000mg turkesterone (2000T). RMR and respiratory exchange ratio were assessed using a metabolic cart for 20 minutes prior to supplement provision (baseline [PRE]), as well as 60-minutes (POST60M), 120-minutes (POST120M), and 180- minutes (POST180M). Resting heart rate was manually palpated and blood pressure was measured using an automated sphygmomanometer at the aforementioned timepoints. RMR, carbohydrate (CHO) and fat (FAT) oxidation and hemodynamic variables were analyzed using separate two-way (condition x time) ANOVA with repeated measures at a p<.05 significance level. RESULTS: No significant effects on RMR, carbohydrate or fat oxidation, or any hemodynamic variables. Despite varied outcomes, there were noteworthy increases in mean fat oxidation from baseline to post-supplementation time points, particularly in the 1000T and 2000T groups. CONCLUSION: Turkesterone supplementation did not lead to notable improvements in metabolic or hemodynamic parameters in recreationally active males. However, the observed differences in fat oxidation suggest the need for further exploration to understand potential long-term and exercise-dependent effects.

Turkesterone is a relatively novel and increasingly popular phytoecdysteroid compound amongst recreationally active demographics. Despite prior in vitro data suggesting that this compound may support enhanced body composition via insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1)-mediated protein synthesis, no human evidence exists in this regard nor how well its digestibility is tolerated. PURPOSE: To determine the effect of multiple turkesterone doses on serum IGF-1 and to report any gastrointestinal (GI) distress symptoms in healthy humans. METHODS: Eleven recreationally active males (23.3±2.2y) visited the laboratory on three occasions separated by at least seven days and were randomized in single-blind, placebo-controlled, and counter-balanced crossover fashion to either 2000mg cellulose placebo (PLA), 1000mg turkesterone + 1000mg placebo, (1000T) or 2000mg (2000T) turkesterone. Venous blood was sampled to determine serum IGF-1 concentrations and a GI distress questionnaire (nausea, vomiting, heartburn symptoms, etc.) was administered both at baseline (PRE), as well as 3-hours (POST3H) and 24-hours (POST24H) post-acute supplementation at each visit. Serum IGF-1 was analyzed using a two-way (condition [PLA, 1000T, 2000T] x time [PRE, POST3H, POST24H]) ANOVA with repeated measures at a significance level of p<0.05. RESULTS: Analyses revealed no significant condition (p=.180; ηp2=0.228), time (p=0.227; ηp2=.390), nor interaction effects (p=0.547; ηp2=0.211) for serum IGF-1. Moreover, no participants reported any GI distress symptoms across any condition and/or time permutation. Although non-significant, mean changes from PRE to POST3H and POST24H were markedly higher in the 1000T (17.8±53.1ng/ml and 11.2±53.0ng/ml, respectively) and 2000T (31.6±59.3ng/ml and 24.5±49.4ng/ml, respectively) versus the PLA group (0.76±24.4ng/ml and -1.30±36.5ng/ml, respectively). CONCLUSION: Multiple acute turkesterone supplementation doses resulted in no enhancement in serum IGF-1 concentrations but was digestively tolerated in young recreationally-active human males. Nonetheless, there were mean differences that should be explored to determine any longitudinal and/or exercise-dependent permissive impacts on relevant anabolism-associated biomarkers.

Crawley, K, Adams, KJ, DeBeliso, M, and Lawrence, MM. Effect of Extreme Volume-Load Differences for a Single Unilateral Exercise During In-Season Resistance Training on Measures of Bilateral Strength, Power, and Speed in Collegiate American Football Players. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000–000, 2023—This study examined the impact extreme volume-load differences for a single weekly exercise, when all other exercises' volume loads were similar, would have on American football performance variables after in-season resistance training (RT). Twenty male National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) American footballers (18–23 years, 98.4 ± 19.3 kg) were randomly assigned to an extreme high-volume low-intensity (EHVLI; n = 11) group or a low-volume high-intensity (LVHI; n = 9) group. Subjects performed the same evidence-based RT exercises and volume loads for 8 weeks thrice weekly, with the only differences being once weekly unilateral reverse dumbbell lunge (EHVLI) or unilateral Hatfield safety bar back squat (LVHI) exercises performed with different volume loads. Performance variables were assessed 1 week before (PRE) and after (POST) 8 weeks of RT. A 2-way analysis of variance with repeated measures and the Sidak post hoc test were used ( p < 0.05). Extreme high-volume low-intensity had no significant ( p > 0.05) PRE-to-POST RT changes in muscular strength in 1 repetition maximum (251.8 ± 48.7 to 274.6 ± 61.3 kg) or power in vertical jump (79.2 ± 8.8 to 78.2 ± 10.8 cm). Conversely, LVHI had significant ( p < 0.05) PRE-to-POST RT improvements in strength (249.2 ± 54.4 to 284.1 ± 55.0 kg) and power (72.8 ± 11.4 to 76.3 ± 10.0 cm). Furthermore, LVHI vs. EHVLI displayed significantly greater percentage difference increases from PRE values in muscular power (6.7% ± 7.2 vs. −1.3% ± 6.0, respectively), with no significant differences between groups (LVHI vs. EHVLI) in muscular strength (8.8% ± 3.1 vs. 6.7% ± 8.0, respectively) and 10-yard acceleration (2.2% ± 5.6 vs. 3.2% ± 5.6, respectively). For in-season RT of strength and power in collegiate American football players, all exercises performed should use evidence-based volume loads to optimize adaptations because a single exercise performed with extreme volume load may limit muscular strength and power development.