University of Kansas researcher wins grant to study the role of dietary supplement in muscle growth -
A Kansas University professor has been chosen to take part in a grant project which will test the role of a food supplement in muscle growth for everyone from athletes to seniors and also was named educator of the year by the funding agency.
Andrew Fry, professor of health, sport and exercise science, will have a co-investigator on a grant from the National Strength and Conditioning Association which investigates the role of nitric oxide synthase, a compound which stimulates the production of nitric oxide, which appears to play a role in hypertrophy, or muscle growth.
"It certainly has the potential for high-level artists like athletes," Fry said the compound. "But it also has implications for a number of people who need to grow muscle for a variety of reasons, such as the elderly, patients struggling against cancer and many others."
Fry proceed to trial with colleagues Zsolt Radak and Zsolt Murlasits, the faculty of the Semmelweis University in Budapest, Hungary. The researchers will test the compound in rats. Rats have three major muscles of interest in their legs, one primary and two "support" muscles. support the muscles will be removed in a group of rats. Some will give the compound as a supplement to their food and other receive a placebo. The rats will take part in a program designed to mimic the strength conditioning. The remaining muscle will certainly make up for the other two, Fry said, but researchers will see what role the supplement in that muscle growth by examining the signaling pathways and the role of a protein known as mTOR name .
"the goal is to see if a food supplement with nitric oxide synthase has an effect. We will look at the size of individual muscle fibers and we will look for specific proteins that are activated when the muscle growth occurs, "Fry said.
The results could potentially make a difference in both sports science and exercise. the two are often confused because of their similarities. When sport science focuses mainly on improving performance on the playing field, exercise science focuses on improving health , force and associated factors in people for purposes such as physical therapy, general fitness, personal training, military, and law enforcement and recovery of the disease.
Fry will travel Budapest regularly for research. in addition to the grant proposal, it intends to help establish contacts for students and lay the foundation for exchanges between the two universities. This network could lead to research opportunities for students, greater collaboration between faculty members in the two countries and an opportunity for students from each country to study abroad.
Fry's work with students recently earned him the title of "Educator of the Year" by the National Strength and Conditioning Association. He was nominated for the award and selected based on their work in the classroom, teaching philosophy, community service and student outcomes, such as internships. Fry teaches courses in methods of strength training and conditioning, kinesiology, biomechanics, physiology of skeletal muscle and exercise endocrinology. He also volunteered with sports organizations field of youth and recently wrote the "Workbook Training Force." The book guides students through the process of decision theories they learn in their classes and use them to design a comprehensive strength and conditioning program for a variety of public and explain how and why they designed the program as they did.
"(the book) looks at how you can create a customized detailed program to meet the needs of an individual or an organization, "said Fry. "Whether the goal is rehabilitation, general fitness, sports, a school setting or others, students are required to explain why they chose what they did. From an educational point of view, it is easy to talk about, now you have to go do and be responsible. "
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