Postgraduate A.N. Ovchinnikov¹
Postgraduate V.V. Seleznev¹
Associate professor PhD E.V. Krylova¹
Professor, Dr.Biol. V.N. Krylov^{1       
1} Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod

Keywords: royal jelly, ubiquinone-10, hemoglobin level, lactate level, physical load.

Introduction. Performance in cyclic sports is largely due to effective functioning of the mechanisms of muscle performance energy supply. The hypoxic condition caused by the inadequacy of oxygen demand and its current consumption resulting from strenuous physical loads leads to lactic acid accumulation in the skeletal muscles. Affecting Na⁺/H⁺ and Na⁺/Ca²⁺ exchange in cells, lactate stimulates intracellular and extracellular pH reduction which results in slower phosphocreatine resynthesis, disruption in the functioning of many enzyme systems including aerobic energy supply, damage to the muscle cells structure, temporary loss of the contractile ability of muscle fibers and development of maladaptation due to functional deficit. One of the factors limiting the development of physiological hypoxia in the tissues in response to intense muscular activity is an increased level of hemoglobin in the blood. Hence, a decrease in the negative effects of hypoxia under the circumstances can be achieved by means of food products that prevent the amplified accumulation of lactate in the muscles and stimulate erythropoiesis with a corresponding increase in the hemoglobin and myoglobin levels. Non-doping substances of natural origin and compounds congenerous to the human body deserve special attention as they have minimal side effects and can quickly integrate into damaged systems and restore them. Lately the prospect of using royal jelly (RJ) and ubiquinone-10 (coenzyme Q-10) in sports training as biologically active compounds with a broad spectrum of application including hemostimulating, energizing and antihypoxic effects has been validated both experimentally and clinically [4-7]. In its turn, complex use of RJ and Q-10 has hardly been studied. Meanwhile, in case of combined use of these substances their physiological activity and impacts, the most important of which are trophic effect of RJ and energizing and antioxidant effects of ubiquinone-10, may potentiate. Preclinical and clinical tests of the medication developed based on RJ and Q-10 have shown its advantage over the isolated use of these substances [6, 8]. Thus, the aim of the work was to analyze the effects of royal jelly and ubiquinone-10 on the hemoglobin and lactate levels in the blood of the elite swimmers in pre-season.

Research methods and organization. Subject to the study were 16 male athletes with the title of Master of Sports of Russia or the sports category of Candidate for Master of Sports in swimming. To determine the current level of fitness the subjects were subject to a control test on the 1^st, 8^th and 15^th days of the study that consisted of anaerobic interval physical load (the average time of covering a series of segments 4x50 m by main stroke with 45 seconds of rest in between served as an indicator index). Two groups of subjects with similar morphological and functional characteristics were formed based on the preliminary testing results with the time of covering the distance and the corresponding number of points by the FINA assessment system taken into consideration.

Athletes from group A (reference group) had a 10 g dose of honey (placebo) daily for 14 days, and those from group B (study group) had a  10 g mixture of honey + native RJ + Q-10 daily, including 400 mg/day of native RJ and 60 mg/day of Q-10. The substances were taken sublingually. Hemoglobin and lactate levels in the blood of the subjects were measured before and after the control test on the 1^st, 8^th and 15^th day of the study using StatStrip Lactate Xpress laboratory portable analyzer (manufacturer: NOVA Biomedical, USA) and Abacus Junior 30 hematology analyzer (Diatron Messtechnik GmbH, Austria). The study was conducted in accordance with the principles of the WMA Declaration of Helsinki [7], with the participation and under the supervision of medical personnel.

Statistical analysis of the obtained data was carried out by means of the Mann-Whitney U test and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, Microsoft Excel 2013 and Statistica 13.0. The results are presented as the arithmetic mean and the standard error of the mean value (M±m). Allocation check for compliance with the normal law was performed by the Shapiro-Wilk test. It was found that not all of the studied parameters are described by the normal distribution law, so the Mann-Whitney U test and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test were used for the statistical analysis of the study results.     

Results and discussion. A statistically significant increase in lactate levels in the plasma of the subjects was recorded in both of the groups on the 1^st day of the study after the control test performance. It was also accompanied by high performance in terms of covering the set distance, indicating significant anaerobic glycolytic capabilities of the athletes’ bodies and enhanced resistance to metabolic acidosis.  

At the same time hemoglobin level in the blood of elite swimmers was within the physiological norm range in both groups.

On the 8^th day of the study it was found that, unlike the 1^st day, the lactate level in the blood serum of the group B athletes taking the medication significantly decreased by 15.17% after the control test performance as compared to group A. There was a statistically significant increase in the level of hemoglobin, indicating improved blood oxygen transport function. Thus, the hemoglobin level in the blood of the subjects increased by 8.66% compared to the 1^st day in group B and by 10.15% compared to the 7^th day of placebo taking (see Table 1).

Table 1.  Dynamics of blood indicators and performance of athletes, M±m

Note: * – p < 0.05 for group A (1^st, 8^th, 15^th day);

× – p < 0.05 for group B (1^st day);

# – p < 0.05 for group B (8^th day).

Even more significant differences between the values of the indicators in the groups of athletes were found on the 15^th day of the study. For example, the lactate level in the blood of the group B subjects in post-exercise state significantly decreased by 26.63% with regards to the 1^st and 8^th days respectively within the group and by 25.44% with regards to the 14^th day of placebo intake. 

In case of athletic performance improvement decreased lactate levels of one and the same athlete at different training stages after the regulated strenuous physical load serve as indicators of improving fitness level and more effective realization of the aerobic mechanism of ATP resynthesis [3]. It can be assumed that, acting as an acceptor and an intermediate electron carrier in the process of mitochondrial phosphorylation, Q-10 increases oxygen consumption rate of the cells in case of preventive intake, thereby probably limiting the accumulation of lactate in skeletal muscles and blood when performing highly intensive exercises. It is also proved that adding Q-10 to mitochondria decreases the uncoupling effect of classical inhibitors of oxidative phosphorylation and leads to activation of endogenous ubiquinone biosynthesis [2].

In its turn, an increase in hemoglobin level in the blood of group B athletes was 16.87% on the 15^th day compared to the 1^st day, 7.56% - compared to the 8^th day within the group and 16.14% compared to the 15^th day in the placebo group. We believe that it can be due to the trophotropic properties of royal jelly. It is known that RJ stimulates the erythron function, and this leads to antihypoxic effect [1, 4]. The mechanism of this process remains unclear, but one can assume that it is provided with polyunsaturated free fatty acids (FFA) with a short chain (up to 10 atoms of carbon) and a multi-component peptin composition of RJ. FFA, in their turn, are the precursors of prostaglandins that play an important role in stimulating the production of erythropoietin).  

Positive changes identified in the blood system caused performance improvements of the athletes taking RJ and Q-10: on the 15^th day the average number of FINA points accumulated in group B based on the control test was by 12.41% higher than that in group A. It is logical to assume that an impact on the kinetics of this parameter also contributes to an increase in power and metabolic capacity of energy supply mechanisms by the mixture components preventing the risk of development of energy deficient states. It is known that one of the key elements in the pathogenesis of hypoxia of organs and tissues in case of oxygen deficiency is a violation of energy metabolism which is accompanied by a decrease in the intensity of tissue respiration, a reduction in ATP and phosphocreatine content in the cells [2]. It appears that exogenous Q-10 is incorporated into mitochondrial membranes damaged by oxidative stress and stimulates ATP synthesis by activating ATPase, which increases the energy resource of the myocardium and skeletal muscles. In its turn, RJ is responsible for an increase in the amount of energy substrates and at the same time for the compensation and replenishment of neoglycogenesis substances bypassing transamination processes [1].

Thus, analyzing the dynamics of the studied parameters, it is possible to assess the achievement of a positive adaptation effect in athletes in response to taking RJ and Q-10, which is indicative of an ergogenic effect of this combination of substances.

Conclusion. It has been found that taking a combination of RJ and Q-10 suspended in honey has a positive impact on the blood parameters and athletic performance of elite swimmers in pre-season. In comparison with the control (honey) the mixture (honey + RJ + Q-10) increases hemoglobin levels, decreases lactate levels and enhances performance of anaerobic interval physical exercise by athletes. Therefore, taking RJ and Q-10 in the course of sports training can be considered appropriate.     

References

1. Krylov V.N. Teoriya i sredstva apiterapii (Theory and means of apitherapy) / V.N. Krylov, A.V. Agafonov, N.I. Krivtsov et al. – Moscow: Komilfo, 2007. – 296 p.
2. Krylov V.N. Antigipoksicheskoe deystvie ekzogennogo ubikhinona (koenzima Q) (Anti-hypoxic effect of exogenous ubiquinone (coenzyme Q) / V.N. Krylov, L.D. Luk'yanova // Problems of hypoxia: molecular, physiological and medical aspects. – Moscow, 2004. – P. 488-513.
3. Mikhaylov S.S. Sportivnaya biokhimiya: uchebnik dlya vuzov i kolledzhey fizicheskoy kul'tury (Sport biochemistry: textbook for universities and colleges of physical culture) / S.S. Mikhaylov. – Moscow: Sovetskiy sport, 2006. – 260 p.
4. Ovchinnikov A.N. Issledovanie sovmestnogo deystviya preparatov Apilak Grindeks i Kudesan na nekotorye gematologicheskie pokazateli vysokokvalifitsirovannykh plovtsov pri sistematicheskikh fizicheskikh nagruzkakh (Study of joint action of Apilac Grindeks and Kudesan medications on some hematological characteristics of elite swimmers under systematic physical loads) / A.N. Ovchinnikov, S.V. Kopylova // Optimizatsiya uchebno-trenirovochnogo protsessa (Optimization of education and training process): Proc. Intern. res.-pract. conf. – N. Novgorod, 2013. – P. 45-48.
5. Ali A.M., Awaad A.G. Protective effect of coenzyme q10 against exercise-induced oxidative stress-mediated muscle fatigue in professional sportsmen // Pharmanest. – 2011. – V. 5. – N 3. – P. 2011-2018.

 Corresponding author: kfg@bio.unn.ru

Abstract

The study explores the effects of royal jelly and ubiquinone-10 (coenzyme Q-10) suspended in bee honey and administered with food on the number of hematological indicators in the elite swimmers in pre-season. The study data shows that the administration of the above mix by the athletes reduces the lactate contents in blood plasma, stimulates the oxygen-transporting function of blood and improves the performance as verified by the anaerobic interval exercise tests.