title: [Effect of phlebodium decumanum and coenzyme Q10 on sports performance in professional volleyball players].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Physical training programmes are based on provoking transitory states of fatigue in order to induce super compensation by the biological systems involved in the activity, in order to improve the athlete's medium-long term performance. The administration of nutritional supplements with antioxidant and immunomodulatory properties, such as Phlebodium decumanum and coenzyme Q10, can be a very advantageous means of achieving recovery from the inflammation and tissue damage caused by the stress of prolonged, intense exercise.
  
  
  METHODS
  An experimental, longitudinal, double- blind experiment was conducted, with three randomised groups obtained from a sample of 30 male volleyball players (aged 22-32 years) at the University of Granada, with a high level of training (17 hours a week during the 6 months preceding the study). The effects were then evaluated of a month-long physical training programme, common to all the study groups, associated with the simultaneous administration of the following nutritional supplements: Phlebodium decumanum (4 capsules of 400 mg/capsule, daily), Experimental Group 1; Phlebodium decumanum (same dose and schedule as Group 1) plus coenzyme Q10 (4 capsules of 30 mg/ capsule, daily), Experimental Group 2; a placebo substance, Control Group. The following dependent blood variables were examined to assess the effects of the intervention on the basal immune and endocrine-metabolic profile: cortisol and interleukin-6, both related to the axis of exercise-induced stress; and lactic acid and ammonium, related essentially to the anaerobic metabolism of energy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All the study groups presented favourable adaptive changes with respect to the endocrine-metabolic and immune profile, as reflected by a significant decrease in the post-test concentrations of cortisol, interleukin 6, lactic acid and ammonium, compared to the values recorded before the physical activity with/without nutritional supplement, per protocol. The groups that achieved the most favourable profile were those which had received nutritional supplementation, rather than the placebo, and among the former, those which had received the double- strength supplement with Phlebodium decumanum plus coenzyme Q10.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The intake of Phlebodium decumanum plus coenzyme Q10 for 4 weeks produced protective effects on the endocrine-metabolic and immune profile, which we attribute to the immunomodulatory and antioxidant properties of these substances, which are highly beneficial not only in terms of delaying fatigue and improving athletic performance, but also in reducing the risk of injuries associated with high intensity exercise.
authors.affiliation: Licenciado en Ciencias de la Actividad Física y el Deporte. Dirección General de Deportes. Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León. México.. juan011@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Juan José
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: García Verazaluce
authors.affiliation: Especialista en Medicina de la Educación Física y el Deporte. Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves. Granada. España.. carmenvarco@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: María Del Carmen
authors.initials: Mdel C
authors.lastname: Vargas Corzo
authors.affiliation: Catedrática. Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud. Departamento de Enfermería. Universidad de Granada. España.. mariajaguilar@telefonica.net.
authors.forename: María José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Aguilar Cordero
authors.affiliation: Profesor Titular. Departamento de Estadística e Investigación Operativa. Universidad de Granada. España.. fmocan@ugr.es.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ocaña Peinado
authors.affiliation: Licenciado en Ciencias de la Actividad Física y el Deporte. Programa de Doctorado en Nutrición y Ciencias de los Alimentos. Departamentos de Fisiología y Bioquímica y Biología Molecular. Universidad de Granada. España.. alvarosr85@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Álvaro
authors.initials: Á
authors.lastname: Sarmiento Ramírez
authors.affiliation: Catedrático. Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud. Departamento de Enfermería. Universidad de Granada. España.. rguisado@ugr.es.
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guisado Barrilao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D054874:Athletic Performance; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D018763:Muscle Fatigue / Q000187:drug effects; D010806:Physical Education and Training; D029621:Polypodiaceae; D014451:Ubiquinone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D054798:Volleyball / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D014451:Ubiquinone; C024989:coenzyme Q10