Abstract
Inositol-stabilized arginine silicate (ASI) is an ergogenic aid that upregulates nitric oxide. Acute ASI supplementation improves working memory and processing speed in young adults but there is a lack of data examining other cognitive tasks. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine acute ASI effects on young healthy adults by assessing multiple cognitive domains. Nineteen young adults (20.9 ± 3.2 years) completed this randomized, double-blind, crossover study consuming ASI (1.5 g ASI + 12 g dextrose) and placebo (12 g dextrose). The participants completed the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) and two digital cognitive assessments before consuming the supplement and then completed the same battery of tests 60 min post-supplementation. Repeated measures ANOVA demonstrated that ASI consumption significantly improved total RBANS and immediate memory scores compared to the placebo (p < 0.05). However, no significant differences were displayed between trials for other cognitive domains (p > 0.05). Acute ASI ingestion increased overall RBANS scores and immediate memory scores in young adults. More research is needed to examine the acute effects of ASI on other domains of cognition, in older populations, and its long-term effects on cognition.
Highlights
The total RBANS percentile scores were analyzed through repeat measures ANOVA (RMANOVA) for both PLA
Our a priori hypothesis predicted that arginine silicate (ASI) supplementation would augment various cognitive domains compared to PLA
Our hypotheses were partially supported; acute ASI ingestion improved global cognition and immediate memory performance compared to the PLA
Summary
The sports nutrition industry is a growing, lucrative market; a common pitfall within the industry is a lack of scientific efficacy with many over-the-counter supplements. Inositol-stabilized arginine silicate (ASI: Nitrosigine®, Nutrition 21 LLC, Harrison, NY) is an ergogenic aid that is gaining more scientific backing due to its ability to significantly improve the bioavailability and absorption of arginine and silicon, increasing nitric oxide (NO) circulation [1]. Studies have shown that a single dose of ASI significantly enhances plasma arginine levels up to six hours after consumption [2]. Enhancing learning and memory function could potentially delay or slow the cognitive decline process. While it has been established that augmented NO levels improve cognitive functioning in impaired individuals, there have been studies demonstrating beneficial effects in cognitively normal individuals. ASI ingestion augmented mental concentration and sharpness potentially through augmented NO levels, which enhanced blood circulation and aided in the distribution of nutrients to the brain [1,3]
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