Advanced nutritional interventions are one of the key components of elite sports performance in general. Combat sports require a high percentage of muscle mass with minimum body weight to generate the maximum power possible. An adequate level of nutrition knowledge, particularly with respect to identifying energy needs while avoiding confusion over dietary supplements and false perceptions of steroid requirement, which may compromise the health condition, is of crucial importance. In this context, the aim of our work is to highlight nutritional requirements/nutritional assessment, the importance of daily dietary intake in combat players, which increasingly includes a broad range of sports nutrition supplements, and the roles of vitamins, minerals and proteins, combined with antioxidants and strength training, in muscular performance. The main nutrients required in the daily diet of combat players, the mechanisms of action, the main outcomes and possible side effects are summarized. Special attention is paid to natural supplements and their importance and advantages over synthetic ones, along with future trends of development.

With a high number of athletes using sport supplements targeting different results, the need for complex, natural and effective formulations represents an actual reality, while nutrition dosing regimens aiming to sustain the health and performance of athletes are always challenging. In this context, the main goal of this study was to elaborate a novel and complex nutraceutical supplement based on multiple bioactive compounds extracted from Aronia melanocarpa and bee pollen, aiming to support physiological adaptations and to minimize the stress generated by intense physical activity in the case of professional or amateur athletes. Our proposed formulations are based on different combinations of Aronia and bee pollen (A1:P1, A1:P2 and A2:P1), offering personalized supplements designed to fulfill the individual requirements of different categories of athletes. The approximate composition, fatty acid profile, identification and quantification of individual polyphenols, along with the antioxidant capacity of raw biological materials and different formulations, was performed using spectrophotometric methods, GS-MS and HPLC-DAD-MS-ESI+. In terms of antioxidant capacity, our formulations based on different ratios of bee pollen and Aronia were able to act as complex and powerful antioxidant products, highlighted by the synergic or additional effect of the combinations. Overall, the most powerful synergism was obtained for the A1:P2 formulation.

Androgenic-Anabolic Steroids (AAS) abuse is known to play an important role in causing the systemic inflammatory response and multiple-organ dysfunction in healthy individuals. Although many of the undesirable effects of steroid abuse have been reported, at present, little is known about the effect of anabolic supplements and the correlation between cardiac and metabolic pathology. This paper presents a case of a 25 year old patient with a complex medical history after 6 months of steroid administration. Myocardial infraction, dyslipidemia, obesity, hyperuricemia, secondary diabetes, and chronic renal disease were identified after clinical and para-clinical examinations. The particularities of this case were interpreted in the context of a literature review, highlighting the effect of multi-organ damage as a result of the uncontrolled use of anabolic steroid supplements.

Background: Intense physical activity is known to generate high levels of oxidative stress, and supplementation with bioactive products with powerful antioxidant effects is often recommended. In this context, the present study aims to evaluate the potential benefits of supplementing the diet of professional combat fighters with a new bioactive formulation based on Aronia melanocarpa (black chokeberry) and bee pollen, a natural combination with a balanced ratio of macro- and micronutrients, rich in proteins and polyphenols. Methods: A total of 31 professional combat fighters were selected to participate in this study. Due to allergic medical history, two were excluded, and the remaining 29 were divided into two groups: 14 in the control and 15 in the supplementation group. The supplemented group consumed daily 40 g of novel supplement based on a combination of dried black chokeberry and bee pollen (1:2 ratio) for 4 weeks. Results: A statistically significant increase in plasma antioxidant capacity was observed in the supplemented group compared to control related to the time and group factors at the end of this study. During this study, a significant increase in neutrophils was recorded in both groups. Supplementation with black chokeberry and bee pollen generated no significant modifications in inflammatory markers, body composition, glycemia, maximum aerobic capacity, blood glycemia, hemoglobin or red cell line. Conclusion: This clinical study pointed out a positive result in terms of plasma antioxidant capacity upon administration of the novel nutraceutical formulation.

Background and Clinical Significance: Vascular complications occurring in the context of trans-trochanteric fractures are rare (mean incidence 0.2–0.5%) but can be fatal if not recognized and treated promptly. Most of the previously reported vascular injuries are iatrogenic, and various mechanisms of injury and producing agents have been reported. Case Presentation: We present a rare but severe vascular complication following proximal femur fracture fixation in the case of a 77-year-old patient, specifically, a deep femoral artery injury after DHS osteosynthesis. CT angiography identified the lesion in the territory of the profunda femoris artery, precisely at the level of the most distal screw, suggesting over-drilling as the underlying cause. The case is presented in the context of a literature review, updating the most important features of the vascular complications, incidence, diagnosis and treatment. Conclusions: This case highlights the critical role of early diagnosis and prompt interdisciplinary collaboration between orthopedic and vascular surgeons in managing iatrogenic vascular complications, achieving a favorable outcome.

Background: Physical activity is a key modifiable determinant of cardiovascular risk, yet whether its protective association with coronary artery disease (CAD) severity in patients with myocardial infarction (MI) is mediated by body mass index (BMI) remains uncertain. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 294 adults admitted with MI and angiographically confirmed MI. Daily preadmission physical activity, as a score, BMI, cardiovascular risk factors and angiographic CAD extent (single-, double-, or triple-vessel disease) were analyzed. Multivariable ordinal logistic regression assessed independent associations of preadmission physical activity with CAD severity. Mediation analysis evaluated BMI as an intermediary using non-parametric bootstrap resampling with 2000 iterations and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: Higher preadmission physical activity was independently associated with lower CAD severity after adjustment for age, sex, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia and BMI (β = −0.54, p < 0.001). BMI showed no independent association with CAD severity (β = 0.009, p = 0.76). Bootstrapped mediation analysis demonstrated no significant indirect effect through BMI (mean indirect effect 0.00044; 95% CI −0.00184 to 0.00360). Conclusions: In patients with MI, the inverse relationship between physical activity and CAD severity appears independent of BMI, suggesting weight-independent cardioprotective mechanisms. Promotion of habitual physical activity should remain a central component of secondary cardiovascular prevention regardless of body weight.