Abstract
Background: Given the prevalence of citrulline malate supplementation to improve athletic performance and the conflicting results in this area, this study aimed to investigate the acute effect of citrulline malate supplementation on maximal strength and anaerobic capacity in middle-aged male tennis players. Materials and Methods: This clinical trial was conducted using a double-blind, placebo-controlled, within-group, counterbalanced design. For this purpose, 16 volunteer male tennis players aged 45-64 years were randomly assigned to two groups that used supplement and placebo in different orders. The citrulline malate supplement was used by the participants in the form of a drink containing 8 g of citrulline malate. In the placebo phase, maltodextrin replaced citrulline malate. A one-week washout period was scheduled between the two phases of supplement and placebo consumption to eliminate the influence of the supplement. One hour after the consumption of the supplement or the placebo, the grip strength, vertical jump, and anaerobic Wingate tests were carried out at five-minute intervals. The paired t-test was used to test the research hypotheses. Results: Statistical analysis showed that according to the Wingate test, the peak and mean anaerobic power values of participants were significantly higher after the consumption of citrulline malate supplementation, compared to those after the placebo consumption (P<0.001). In addition, the vertical jump record was better after citrulline malate consumption in comparison to that after the placebo consumption (P<0.001). Moreover, maximal and average grip strength values were higher after the supplementation usage, compared to those after the placebo usage (P<0.001). Conclusion: Consumption of citrulline malate 1 h before exercise would significantly improve the maximum strength and anaerobic capacity in middle-aged male tennis players.
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call