Dr.Med., Professor P.V. Rodichkin¹
Dr.Hab., Professor G.N. Ponomarev¹
PhD, Associate Professor P.V. Pupkov²
A.S. Orlov^2
1Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, St. Petersburg
²Advanced Health Technologies Clinic, St. Petersburg

Keywords: total strength index, strength building trainings, Hepamerz hepatoprotector.

Background. Modern physical education service system reports the growing popularity of the muscular mass and strength building physical practices including the training machines assisted ones, with weights, rubber expanders, suspension systems, gymnastic equipment and own weight used in trainings. In the fitness industry such trainings are traditionally grouped into bodybuilding, Crossfit, workout etc. systems that are much similar in the workloads normally dominated by the 60-80% maximal anaerobic capacity mobilized in the exercises. Each exercise takes 20-90s to reach a fatigue threshold, with such trainings commonly believed to be the most beneficial for the muscular mass building purposes as they (1) mobilize mostly the IIB and IIA type fibers and the middle ones most prone to myofibrillar hypertrophy; and (3) facilitate formation of some metabolic products such as free creatine and lactic acid that spur up anabolic processes. It is also important that in such practices hydrogen ions are generated in optimal quantities to help production of growth hormone.

Objective of the study was to analyze benefits of modern Hepamerz hepatoprotector for the muscular mass building in amateur sports.

Methods and structure of the study. The study was run in the period of June 20 to August 10, 2018 at the Advanced Health Technologies Clinic in St. Petersburg. Randomly sampled for the study were the 19-59 year-old individuals (10 females and 20 males) trained on a regular basis at sub-maximal and high workload levels in bodybuilding, powerlifting, weightlifting, martial arts, swimming, running, cycling, artistic gymnastics and acrobatics, football, American football and all-round sports groups, with their physical education and sporting experiences ranging from 3 to 48 years. The sample was split up into Experimental and Reference Groups (EG, RG) of 15 people each regularly trained at 60-80% of the maximal anaerobic level 3 to 11 times a week for 6 weeks under the study.

We ran the pre-experimental and progress biochemical tests for hormones of somatotropin and insulin-like growth factor at the Helix laboratories on a biweekly basis – i.e. tested progress of the sample every two weeks by the functionality tests (to rate the vital capacity and vital index); bioimpendance analysis to obtain the resting heart rate and blood pressure; Ruffier test; and strength test. On the whole, every athlete was tested for times followed by statistical processing of the coherent test data array; with the significance of the differences rated by the ANOVA version of the variance analysis. Physical fitness tests were the following: (1) 45s maximal-intensity prone push-ups tests; (2) 60s maximal-intensity squats test; and (3) pull-ups till muscular failure test.

The preparation was administered as follows: EG took 2 packs of Hepamerz granules in 200ml of water prior to and after every training session for 6 weeks; and the RG took a placebo provided by the Hepamerz production company.

Results and discussion. The study showed benefits of an integrated strength index as a progress marker – that may be defined as the summarized strength test rates (maximal-intensity prone push-ups, pull-ups and squat tests). The integrated strength index was found to fast progress during the trainings (by +11%, from 115.0+7.0 to 127.3+7.2, p=0.0005). This was the only test rate found to grow in the RG for the training cycle. It should be noted that the insulin-like growth factor was tested to grow at a statistical trend level (by +9%, from 137.1+6.2 to 149.9+7.0, p=0.07). Variations of the other tests rates were found statistically insignificant.

That is why we used the integrated strength index as the key indicator in the progress tests. The nominal progress rates and quantitative indirect rates (indirectly related to the training process including gender, age, training domain, mastery level, body height, body weight, VC, etc.) were analyzed versus the pre-experimental test rates. The pre-experimental strength rate, training frequency rate, vegetative statuses, and hormone levels were analyzed using the full database. Influences of the controlled factors were rated by the single-factor variance analysis, with an S-shape scaling procedure used to differentiate the factors based on a frequency analysis – or by the relevant values ​​being combined within the specified nominations.

A factorial analysis of integrated strength index variability versus the background physical fitness (PF0) rate, we found that it plays a very high role (group centroids were rated at 102, 138 and 174 points for the low, moderate and high background physical fitness (of <100, 101 to 149 and 150+ points), respectively, with the determination ratio of D=0.61, p=1*10^-17.

The integrated strength index rate growth in the training process was assumed to be correlated with the numbers of training sessions – albeit a special single-factor variance analysis denied the assumption, with the determination ratio D=0.05, p=0.12; and with the moderate-frequency trainings (20-30 for 6 weeks) proved to be the most beneficial.

Having analyzed the sympathicotonia level correlation with the physical fitness, we classified the group by this factor levels as follows: (1) diagnosed with parasympatheticotonia, (2) balanced regulation; (3) sympathicotonia; and (4) expressed sympathicotonia. The group centroids were estimated at 107, 131, 123, and 119 points, respectively, with the determination ratio D=0.09, p=0.50. Therefore, a balanced regulation was found the most beneficial.

It may be summarized that the analyses showed benefits of the integrated strength index variability rates for the studies to rate efficiency of the Hepamerz hepatoprotector effects on the training process. Such analyses may be even gender-, age-, sport experience-, skill level-and training system-unspecific. It should be also remembered that integrated strength index variability is at least 61% dependent on the background physical fitness rate (p=10^-17).

Given in Table 1 hereunder is the integrated strength index variability statistics classified by the strength tests for the 6-week trainings. The integrated strength index growth in the training process was analyzed using the relative training cycle efficiency ratio that may be defined as the ratio of the integrated strength index growth rate to the background physical fitness rate and the number of training sessions.

Table 1. Integrated strength index variation statistics for the 6-week trainings

Note: Bolded are the statistically significant values

Conclusion. The muscular mass building/ optimizing amateur training model was tested beneficial as verified by the integrated strength ratio growth for 6 week. The 4-week trainings facilitated by the Hepamerz administration were found to significantly improve strength in the EG versus RG, with the positive effect retained by week 6 with some sag in the insignificant rate due to the integrated strength index growth in the RG.

Having analyzed the integrated strength index variability versus the prior (background) physical fitness, we found the new model to be the most beneficial for the moderate-level background physical fitness group (with the week 1, week 2 and week 3 growths of +15%, p= 0.03; +19%, p=0.02, and +17%, p=0.05, respectively). The low-level background physical fitness group was tested with the lowest weekly progresses of + 6%, +17% and +12%, respectively. And the high-level background physical fitness group was tested with virtually no positive effect of the Hepamerz administration in the trainings. On the whole, the study found the Hepamerz administration to be the most beneficial for the groups tested with the moderate-level background physical fitness.

References

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2. Plotnikova E.Yu. Role of l-ornithine-l-aspartate in complex treatment of patients with hyperammonemia. Clinical perspectives of gastroenterology, hepatology. Moscow: M-Vesti publ., 2013.
3. Rodichkin P.V., Pupkov P.V., Shalamanov N.S., Orlov A.S. Optimization of fat and lean body mass using submaximal physical exercises and vibro-vacuum procedures. Fitness in continuous physical education system and its role in health improvement of Russian population.  Proc. VI nat. res.-pract. conf.. St. Petersburg: HSPUR publ., 2013.
4. Banister E.W., Allen M.E., Mekjavic L.B. et al. The time course of ammonia and lactate accumulation in blood during bicycle exercise. Eur. J. Appl. Physiol. 1983.  Vol. 51, N 2. pp. 195–202.

Corresponding author: rodichkin.pavel@gmail.com

Abstract

Modern physical education service system reports the growing popularity of the muscular mass and strength building physical practices including the training machines assisted ones, with weights, rubber expanders, suspension systems, gymnastic equipment and own weight used in trainings. Sport science knows many agents of effect on the muscular fatigue and work efficiency including, e.g., ammonia known to correlate with the blood lactate contents. Local peaks of ammonia and lactic acidosis may provoke metabolic changes in the sub-maximal intensity trainings. Many researchers appreciate benefits of a few modern agents with the physical efficiency and stress tolerance boosting secondary effects. Agents with a hypoammonium effect (such as ammonium carbonate, aspartic acid salt, glutamate sodium etc.) are considered promising for their ability to boost stress tolerance. The study analyzes benefits of modern Hepamerz hepatoprotector that includes salts of aspartic acid and sodium glutamate as the key active substances. Hepamerts was tested with a detoxification effect due to the excessive ammonia being effectively removed. In addition, the preparation was tested to contribute to the Krebs ornithine urea cycle as it activates the cycle, restores the activity of the liver cell enzymes (ornithine-carbamoyl transferase and carbamoyl phosphate synthetase); facilitates the insulin and somatotropic hormone generation processes, and improves the protein metabolism.