Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of β-alanine (BA) ingestion on tissue carnosine levels and the impact such changes would have on combat specific activity. Eighteen soldiers (19.9 ± 0.8 year) from an elite combat unit were randomly assigned to either a BA or placebo (PL) group. Before and following a 30-day supplementation period carnosine content of the gastrocnemius muscle and brain was determined by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. During each testing session, participants performed military relevant tasks that included a 2.5 km run, a 1-min sprint, 50-m casualty carry, repeated 30-m sprints with target shooting, and a 2-min serial subtraction test (SST) to assess cognitive function under stressful conditions. A significant elevation (p = 0.048) in muscle carnosine content was noted in BA compared to PL. Changes in muscle carnosine content was correlated to changes in fatigue rate (r = 0.633, p = 0.06). No changes (p = 0.607) were observed in brain carnosine content. Following supplementation, no differences were noted in 2.5 km run, 1-min sprint, repeated sprint, or marksmanship performance, but participants in BA significantly (p = 0.044) improved their time for the 50-m casualty carry and increased their performance (p = 0.022) in the SST compared to PL. In summary, 30-days of BA ingestion can increase muscle carnosine content and improve aspects of military specific performance. Although cognitive performance was significantly greater in participants consuming BA compared to placebo, current study methods were unable to detect any change in brain carnosine levels, thus, the precise mechanism underlying these effects remains elusive.
Highlights
Increases in the concentration of histidine containing dipeptides within skeletal muscle have been demonstrated to have ergogenic potential by increasing the muscles ability to buffer elevations in hydrogen ion (H+) concentrations (Harris et al 1990)
These correlations were not statistically different they did indicate a trend towards a relationship between the change in muscle carnosine content and rate of fatigue
Results of this study demonstrate that 30-days of β-alanine ingestion was effective in elevating muscle carnosine content in the gastrocnemius muscle of elite combat soldiers during a period of high intensity training
Summary
Increases in the concentration of histidine containing dipeptides within skeletal muscle have been demonstrated to have ergogenic potential by increasing the muscles ability to buffer elevations in hydrogen ion (H+) concentrations (Harris et al 1990). Anserine and balenine are comprised of the amino acids l-histidine and β-alanine and differ in regards to where the methylation on the imidazole ring appears on the l-histidine molecule (carnosine is non-methylated, while anserine and balenine are methylated) (Boldyrev et al 2013). It is the imidazole ring of the histidine containing dipeptide that regulates buffering activity. Considering that both histidine and carnosine synthetase (the enzyme responsible for the synthesis of carnosine) are found in high concentrations in skeletal muscle, it is believed that β-alanine is the rate-limiting step in carnosine formation (Derave et al 2010)
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