Staff Profiles

Co-developed an innovative module 'Alpine Fieldwork in Exercise Science'. This module has both a theoretical and practical basis in Oxford (January to May) before a week long trip to the French Alps (September). The week long trek is 'Le Tour du Mont Blanc' (approximately 150 km around the base of the Mont Blanc Massif).

Before and after the trek students are tested in the laboratory for aerobic fitness (VO2max), submaximal responses to graded walking (blood lactate concentration, rating of perceived extertion, walking economy), anthropometric measures and leg strength and power.

During the walk students record walking heart rate (to estimate walking energy expenditure) and rating of perceived exertion. They also monitor daily body mass and hyrdation status.

This is a very applied module whereby students can appreciate problems associated with data collection in the field. Students also learn a lot of applied physiology and how their body responds to daily endurance exercise (approximately 18-20 km per day with a 10-12 kg ruck sack).

This is a reflective statement from one student having completed Le Tour du Mont Blanc: 

"Personally, I found the TMB itself, and the chance to take part in this study to be a once in a life time opportunity. Bonds were made with people that I did not think would happen, and my knowledge of sport and exercise science drastically expanded. Before we left for the TMB, I was worried that I would not be fit enough to complete it, and this was also the case when we were walking on the first day. The weather conditions were a lot hotter than I expected, and on the first day, I got badly sunburned and was struggling to get up the hills. But after the first day was completed, I realised that if I could complete one day, I could complete 6 more – and with the high group morale and positive energy, everybody completed the trek in the 7-day window. 

During the course of the TMB, I lost 1.7kg in body mass, and 2.8% body fat, which I was extremely proud of, as I had been struggling to lose body fat prior to the TMB. This was one of the largest changes within the group. My maximum HR for the submaximal test also dropped by 15 bpm at the end of the final stage, which indicated that my cardiovascular fitness increased. My RPE at 20% also decreased by 2, showing that I found the final stage of testing easier than previously recorded". 

Modules taught

Supervision

Main interests: effects of training on human physiology, morphology and metabolism with respect to both performance and health. Also interested in how gene expression may be influenced by our environment (e.g. diet / training).

Academic background: I received an MPhil. from Loughborough University of Technology in 1986 which investigated the physiological, metabolic and morphological characteristics of distance running. In 1988 I published a paper (Ramsbottom et al. 1988 Br. J. Sports Med.22: 141-144) which provided estimated values of aerobic fitness (VO2max) from performance on a 20 metre multi-stage shuttle run test. A cassette and later CD was made available to the sports community via Coachwise. This shuttle run test is now a globally accepted test of aerobic fitness outside a laboratory environment. I completed a PhD in 1994 (Loughborough University) which investigated human short-term high intensity performance versus a non-invasive measure of anaerobic capacity. Work from my PhD led to a field test to estimate individual anaerobic capacity based on results from shuttle run tests.

Research group membership

Sport and Physical Activity Research Group

Electronic Circuit and Systems Design Research Group

Research grants and awards

Journal articles

• Delextrat, A. MacKessy, S., Arceo-Rendon, Scanlan, A., Ramsbottom, R. and Calleja-Gonzalez, J., 'Effects of Three-Day Serial Sodium Bicarbonate Loading on Performance and Physiological Parameters During a Simulated Basketball Test in Female University Players'
  International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism 28 (5) (2018) pp.547-552
  ISSN: 1526-484X eISSN: 1543-2742
  Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of 3-day serial sodium bicarbonate ingestion on repeated sprint and jump performance. Fifteen female university basketball players (23.3 ± 3.4 years; 173.1 ± 5.8 cm; 65.8 ± 6.3 kg; 23.6 ± 4.9% body fat) ingested 0.4 g/kg body mass of sodium bicarbonate or placebo for 3 days (split in three equal daily doses), before completing a simulated basketball exercise. Sprint and circuit times, jump heights, performance decrements, and gastrointestinal side effects were recorded during the test, and blood lactate concentration wasmeasured pre- and posttest. Sodiumbicarbonate supplementation led to significant decreases in mean sprint times (1.34 ± 0.23 vs. 1.70 ± 0.41 s, p = .008, 95% confidence intervals [−0.54, −0.10 s]) and mean circuit times (30.6 ± 2.0 vs. 31.3 ± 2.0 s, p = .044) and significantly greater mean jump height (26.8 [range 25.2–34.2] vs. 26.0 [range 25.6–33.6] cm, p = .013) compared with placebo. Performance decrement was significantly less for sprints with sodium bicarbonate compared with placebo (9.9 [range 3.4–37.0]% vs. 24.7 [range 4.1–61.3]%, p = .013), but not different for jumps (13.1 ± 4.5% vs. 12.5 ± 3.1%, p = .321) between conditions. No differences in gastrointestinal side effects were noted between conditions. Significantly greater postexercise blood lactate concentrations were measured in the sodium bicarbonate condition compared with the placebo condition (8.2 ± 2.8 vs. 6.6 ± 2.4 mmol/L, p = .010). This study is the first to show that serial loading of sodium bicarbonate is effective for basketball players to improve repeated sprint and jump performance during competition, or withstand greater training load during practice sessions without any gastrointestinal side effects.Website 
• S Zourob, K Hayatleh, S Barker, R Nagulapalli, N Yassine, R Ramsbottom and F J Lidgey, 'Increasing Signal to Noise Ratio and Minimizing Artefacts in Biomedical Instrumentation Systems'
  Analog Integrated Circuits and Signal Processing 95 (3) (2018) pp.403-408
  ISSN: 0925-1030 eISSN: 1573-1979
  Abstract Capturing a near-perfect, artefact free signal is an ideal of biomedicine. However, this depends on the removal of different types of artefact, all of which can be considered unwanted noise on the desired signal. Failure to remove artefacts could lead to a clinical misinterpretation of the results. All medical equipment such as electrocardiogram systems which use electrodes attached to patients suffer from artefacts, with effects ranging from minor blurring to significant distortion of the output signal(s). For this reason, it is important to identify how artefacts can influence the output signal. In this paper, we propose a new technique to detect and minimise movement artefacts using strain gauges embedded into the electrodes.Website 
• Clarke ND, Thomas JR, Kagka M, Ramsbottom R, Delextrat A, 'No Dose-Response Effect of Carbohydrate Mouth Rinse Concentration on 5-km Running Performance in Recreational Athletes'
  Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 31 (3) (2017) pp.715-720
  ISSN: 1064-8011
  Abstract Oral carbohydrate rinsing has been demonstrated to provide beneficial effects on exercise performance of durations of up to one hour, albeit predominately in a laboratory setting. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of different concentrations of carbohydrate solution mouth-rinse on 5 km running performance. Fifteen healthy men (n=9; mean±SD age: 42±10 years; height: 177.6±6.1 cm; body mass: 73.9±8.9 kg) and women (n=6; mean±SD age: 43±9 years; height: 166.5±4.1 cm; body mass: 65.7±6.8 kg) performed a 5 km running time trial on a track on four separate occasions. Immediately before starting the time trial and then after each 1 km, subjects rinsed 25 mL of either 0, 3, 6, or 12% maltodextrin for 10 s. Mouth-rinsing with 0, 3, 6 or 12% maltodextrin did not have a significant effect on the time to complete the time trial (0%: 26:34±4:07 min:sec; 3%: 27:17±4:33 min:sec; 6%: 27:05±3:52 min:sec; 12%: 26:47±4.31 min:sec; P=0.071;2 =0.15), heart   rate  (P=0.095; 2 =0.16),   rating  of   perceived   exertion   (RPE) (P=0.195; P  =0.11),   blood   glucose (P=0.920; P  =0.01)   and   blood   lactate concentration (P=0.831; 2 =0.02), with only non-significant trivial to small differences between concentrations. Results of this study suggest that carbohydrate mouth-rinsing provides no ergogenic advantage over that of an acaloric placebo (0%), and that there is no dose-response relationship between carbohydrate solution concentration and 5 km track running performance.
   
  Website 
• Gilder M, Ramsbottom R, Currie J, Sheridan B, Nevill AM, 'Effect of fat free mass on serum and plasma BDNF concentrations during exercise and recovery in healthy young men'
  Neuroscience Letters 560 (2014) pp.137-141
  ISSN: 0304-3940
  Abstract
  Exercise results in release of brain derived neurotrophic factor into the circulation; however, little is known about the changes in serum and plasma brain derived neurotrophic factor concentrations and factors influencing brain derived neurotrophic factor during exercise and recovery. Serum (n = 23) and plasma (n = 10) brain derived neurotrophic factor concentrations were measured in healthy young men at rest, during steady-rate and after exercise to determine the maximum aerobic power. A two-way analysis of variance was used to investigate brain derived neurotrophic factor levels in blood during exercise and recovery, with one between-subject factor (a median split on: age, height, body mass, fat free mass, body mass index and aerobic fitness), and one within-subject factor (time). Serum brain derived neurotrophic
  factor concentrations increased in response to exercise and declined rapidly in recovery. Plasma brain derived neurotrophic factor had a greater proportional increase relative to exhaustive exercise compared with serum brain derived neurotrophic factor and was slower to return to near baseline values. There was a significant group-by-time interaction indicating a greater release and faster recovery for serum brain derived neurotrophic factor in high- compared with low-fat free mass individuals.
  Website 
• Ramsbottom R, Currie J, Gilder M, 'Relationships between components of physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness, cardiac autonomic health, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor'
  Journal of Sports Sciences 28 (8) (2010) pp.843-849
  ISSN: 0264-0414
  Abstract

  The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness, cardiac autonomic health, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor concentrations in healthy men (n=28) and women (n=16). Cardiorespiratory fitness ([Vdot]O2max, litres center dot min-1) was estimated from heart rate and work rate using a 6-min cycle ergometer test, cardiac autonomic health was assessed from supine measures of heart rate variability using standard telemetry techniques, physical activity was assessed by questionnaire, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor by enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA). There was no significant difference in cardiorespiratory fitness between men (3.75 +/- 0.84 litres center dot min-1) and women (3.43 +/- 0.72 litres center dot min-1) (P=0.206). Similarly, there was no significant difference in Baecke scores (work, sport, and leisure) between men and women. Cardiorespiratory fitness was significantly correlated with seated heart rate (r=-0.445, P=0.002, n=44), the heart rate variability measure SD12 (index of cardiac autonomic health) (r=0.462, P=0.035, n=21), and Baecke sport score (r=0.536, P=0.000, n=43). Cardio autonomic health (SD12) was negatively associated with brain-derived neurotrophic factor concentration although this correlation did not attain statistical significance (r=-0.324, P=0.152, n=21). The results show that cardiorespiratory fitness was significantly correlated with the Baecke sport (rather than work or leisure) score and cardiac autonomic function (SD12). However, SD12 was not significantly associated with resting concentrations of serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor, a key regulator of energy metabolism and neural plasticity.

  Website 
• Currie J, Ramsbottom R, Ludlow H, Nevill A, Gilder M, 'Cardio-respiratory fitness, habitual physical activity and serum brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in men and women'
  Neuroscience Letters 451 (2) (2009) pp.152-155
  ISSN: 0304-3940
  Abstract

  Short episodes of high intensity exercise transiently increase serum levels of BDNF in humans, but serum levels of BDNF at rest appear to be lower in more physically active humans with greater levels of energy expenditure. The relationship between serum BDNF concentration, cardio-respiratory fitness (Astrand-Rhyming test estimated VO(2) max)and volume of long-term, regular exercise and sporting activity (Baecke Habitual Physical Activity Index) was investigated in 44 men and women between the age range of 18-57 years. In this group an inverse relationship between resting serum BDNF concentration and measures of both estimated VO(2) max (r = -0.352; P < 0.05) and long-term sporting activity (r = -0.428, P < 0.01) was found. These results indicate that increased levels of cardio-respiratory fitness and habitual exercise are associated with lower resting levels of serum BDNF in healthy humans. This is the first study to demonstrate an inverse relationship between a physiological estimate of cardio-respiratory fitness and serum BDNF.

  Website 
• Gilder M, Ramsbottom R, 'Measures of cardiac autonomic control in women with differing volumes of physical activity'
  Journal of Sports Sciences 26 (7) (2008) pp.781-786
  ISSN: 0264-0414
  Abstract In this study, we investigated heart rate variability in women who exercise regularly, but with differing volumes of physical activity. Forty women participated and were allocated to either a "high" or "moderate" activity group. Heart rate as R-R intervals was recorded during supine rest and analysed using time domain, frequency domain, and Poincar plot techniques. All time domain and Poincar analysis measures revealed significant differences in heart rate variability between the "high" and "moderate" activity groups. Frequency domain analysis also revealed a significant difference between the two groups in absolute measures of high-frequency and low-frequency power, but not between measures such as the low-frequency/high-frequency ratio, proposed to represent the sympathetic/parasympathetic balance of cardiac control. The results demonstrate that there is a significant difference in heart rate variability between women who engage in "high" compared with "moderate" volumes of physical activity, which may have implications for cardiac autonomic health.Website 
• Gilder M, Ramsbottom R, 'Change in heart rate variability following orthostasis relates to volume of exercise in healthy women '
  Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical 143 (40940) (2008) pp.73-76
  ISSN: 1566-0702
  Abstract Physically active individuals demonstrate increased heart rate variability (HRV) during rest compared to sedentary individuals, but the impact of different volumes of regular exercise on the HRV response to postural change is not well understood. This study investigates change in HRV following orthostasis in seventy-two young women who exercise at low (LV) or high (HV) volumes of physical activity. Supine and standing R-R intervals were analysed by time domain, frequency domain and Poincare plot methods. All methods revealed greater change in the vagal response in the HV group, indicating that HRV following postural change is modulated by volume of exercise.Website 
• Nevill AM, Ramsbottom R, Nevill ME, Newport S, Williams C, 'The Relative Contributions of Anaerobic and Aerobic Energy Supply During Track 100-, 400- and 800-m Performance'
  Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness 48 (2008) pp.138-142
  ISSN: 0022-4707 eISSN: 1827-1928
  
• Ramsbottom R, Kinch RFT, Morris MG, Dennis AM, 'Practical Application of Fundamental Concepts in Exercise Physiology'
  Advances in Physiology Education 31 (2008) pp.347-351
  ISSN: 1043-4046 eISSN: 0992-769
  Website 
• Dawes H, Smith C, Collett J, Wade D, Howells K, Ramsbottom R, Izadi H, Sackley C, 'A Pilot Study to Investigate Explosive Leg Extensor Power and Walking Performance After Stroke'
  Journal of Sports Science and Medicine 4 (2006) pp.556-562
  ISSN: 1303-2968
  
• Elsworth C, Dawes H, Collett J, Howells K, Ramsbottom R, Izadi H, Sackley C, 'Oxygen Cost During Treadmill Walking With Hip and Knee Immobilised'
  Journal of Sports Science and Medicine 5 (2006) pp.640-645
  ISSN: 1303-2968
  
• Dawes H, Collett J, Ramsbottom R, Howells K, Sackley C, Wade D, 'Measuring Oxygen Cost During Level Walking in Individuals With Acquired Brain Injury in the Clinical Setting'
  Journal of Sports Science and Medicine 3 (2005) pp.76-82
  ISSN: 1303-2968
  
• Ramsbottom R, 'The Effect of 6 Months Training on Leg Power, Balance, and Functional Mobility of Independently Living Adults Over 70 Years Old'
  Journal of Aging and Physical Activity 12 (2004) pp.497-510
  ISSN: 1063-8652 eISSN: 1543-267X
  Abstract Where strength training has been used in conjunction with functional-task training in older people, not only have there been improvements in leg strength but also improved function has been measured (e.g., Skelton & McLaughlin, 1996). Many studies use participants from care homes rather than community dwellers. We investigated changes in leg power, balance, and functional mobility in community-dwelling sedentary men and women over 70 years of age (n = 6 for training group [TR]; n = 10 for control group [CN]). Progressive training took place over 24 weeks using seated and nonseated exercise. For TR, leg power increased 40%, from 108 +/- 40 to 141 +/- 53 W (p < .01); dynamic balance increased 48%, from 22.3 +/- 7.9 to 33.1 +/- 6.1 cm (p < .01; functional reach); and functional mobility increased 12%, from 7.46 +/- 1.32 to 6.54 +/- 1.41 s (p < .05; timed walk). CN showed no significant change. In conclusion, a community-based exercise program led to large improvements in leg-extensor power, dynamic balance, and functional mobility.
• Ramsbottom R, Nevill AM, Seager RD, Hazeldine R, 'Effect of Training on Accumulated Oxygen Deficit and Shuttle Run Performance'
  Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness 41 (2001) pp.281-290
  ISSN: 0022-4707 eISSN: 1827-1928
  
• Ramsbottom R, Nevill ME, Nevill AM, Hazeldine R, 'Accumulated Oxygen Deficit and Shuttle Run Performance in Physically Active Men and Women'
  Journal of Sports Sciences 15 (1997) pp.207-214
  ISSN: 0264-0414
  

Areas of expertise

Membership of professional bodies

Fellow of the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences

Associate Editor Journal of Sports Science and Medicine

Associate Editor (UK) Journal Sportis (Spain) 

Member of the Physiological Society (United Kingdom)

External Examiner St Mary's University Twickenham (MSc Sport and Exercise Physiology)

Conferences

Meetings of the Physiological Society (United Kingdom)

Invited speaker: 6^thEuropean Sports Medicine Congress (Antalya, Turkey, 2009)

British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences

European College of Sports Science

International Sports Exercise and Nutrition Conference

Other experience

Senior Lecturer at Roehampton University (London)

External Examiner (undergraduate programmes; Liverpool Hope University, St Mary's University, London) 

PhD student Loughborough University

Press, publicity and reviews

Recent Conference Communications:

Pavlaki, S., Varnham, R. and Ramsbottom, R. (2016) Dietary nitrate supplementation improves mean power during upper body resistive exercise Biomedical Basis of Elite Performance PC07, pp. 111-112A.

Ramsbottom, R., Bardin, J., Kinch, R., Morris, M. and Varnham, R. (2017) Effect of a one week alpine trek on submaximal and maximal physiological measures International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism27 S14A.

Ramsbottom, R., Gilder, M. and Nevill, A. (2017) Heart rate variability and common health measures International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism27 S3A.