Additive effects of beta-alanine and sodium bicarbonate on upper-body intermittent performance

Gabriel Tobias,Vitor De Salles Painelli,Fabiana Braga Benatti,Craig Sale,Hamilton Roschel,Antonio Herbert Lancha,Bruno Gualano,Guilherme Gianinni Artioli,Roger C Harris

doi:10.1007/s00726-013-1495-z

Abstract

We examined the isolated and combined effects of beta-alanine (BA) and sodium bicarbonate (SB) on high-intensity intermittent upper-body performance in judo and jiu-jitsu competitors. 37 athletes were assigned to one of four groups: (1) placebo (PL)+PL; (2) BA+PL; (3) PL+SB or (4) BA+SB. BA or dextrose (placebo) (6.4 g day−1) was ingested for 4 weeks and 500 mg kg−1 BM of SB or calcium carbonate (placebo) was ingested for 7 days during the 4th week. Before and after 4 weeks of supplementation, the athletes completed four 30-s upper-body Wingate tests, separated by 3 min. Blood lactate was determined at rest, immediately after and 5 min after the 4th exercise bout, with perceived exertion reported immediately after the 4th bout. BA and SB alone increased the total work done in +7 and 8 %, respectively. The co-ingestion resulted in an additive effect (+14 %, p < 0.05 vs. BA and SB alone). BA alone significantly improved mean power in the 2nd and 3rd bouts and tended to improve the 4th bout. SB alone significantly improved mean power in the 4th bout and tended to improve in the 2nd and 3rd bouts. BA+SB enhanced mean power in all four bouts. PL+PL did not elicit any alteration on mean and peak power. Post-exercise blood lactate increased with all treatments except with PL+PL. Only BA+SB resulted in lower ratings of perceived exertion (p = 0.05). Chronic BA and SB supplementation alone equally enhanced high-intensity intermittent upper-body performance in well-trained athletes. Combined BA and SB promoted a clear additive ergogenic effect.

Highlights

Muscle acidosis is a major cause of fatigue in high-intensity exercise (Fitts 1996)
Several investigations have shown that increased extracellular buffering capacity, achieved either via acute or chronic sodium bicarbonate (SB) ingestion, improves high-intensity exercise performance and capacity (Requena et al 2005; Carr et al 2011), which has been shown to be ergogenic in different sports, such as swimming (Lindh et al 2008), judo (Artioli et al 2007) and boxing (Siegler and Hirscher 2010)
The main finding of this study is that the co-ingestion of SB and BA leads to significantly greater improvements in performance and decreased rates of perceived exertion than these supplements taken individually

Summary

Introduction

Muscle acidosis is a major cause of fatigue in high-intensity exercise (Fitts 1996). During the exercise performed at intensities exceeding the capacity of aerobic metabolism to resynthesize ATP (Wallimann et al 2011), hydrogen cations (H?) are produced with most buffered by physicochemical means or exported into the circulation. Buffering is critical for delaying the onset of muscle fatigue and maintaining exercise performance and capacity. Highintensity exercise performance could be improved if any of these buffering systems were enhanced. Several investigations have shown that increased extracellular buffering capacity, achieved either via acute or chronic sodium bicarbonate (SB) ingestion, improves high-intensity exercise performance and capacity (Requena et al 2005; Carr et al 2011), which has been shown to be ergogenic in different sports, such as swimming (Lindh et al 2008), judo (Artioli et al 2007) and boxing (Siegler and Hirscher 2010). The increased intracellular buffering capacity induced by carnosine augmentation has been related to performance enhancements in high-intensity exercise (Artioli et al 2010; Sale et al 2010)

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