Abstract
The use of ergogenic nutritional supplements is becoming inseparable from competitive sports. β-Hydroxy-β-Methylbutyric acid (HMB) has recently been suggested to promote fat-free mass (FFM) and strength gains during resistance training in adults. In this prospective randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, we studied the effect of HMB (3 g/day) supplementation on body composition, muscle strength, anaerobic and aerobic capacity, anabolic/catabolic hormones and inflammatory mediators in elite, national team level adolescent volleyball players (13.5-18 years, 14 males, 14 females, Tanner stage 4-5) during the first 7 weeks of the training season. HMB led to a significant greater increase in FFM by skinfold thickness (56.4 ± 10.2 to 56.3 ± 8.6 vs. 59.3 ± 11.3 to 61.6 ± 11.3 kg in the control and HMB group, respectively, p < 0.001). HMB led to a significant greater increase in both dominant and non-dominant knee flexion isokinetic force/FFM, measured at fast (180°/sec) and slow (60°/sec) angle speeds, but had no significant effect on knee extension and elbow flexion and extension. HMB led to a significant greater increase in peak and mean anaerobic power determined by the Wingate anaerobic test (peak power: 15.5 ± 1.6 to 16.2 ± 1.2 vs. 15.4 ± 1.6 to 17.2 ± 1.2 watts/FFM, mean power: 10.6 ± 0.9 to 10.8 ± 1.1 vs. 10.7 ± 0.8 to 11.8 ± 1.0 watts/FFM in control and HMB group, respectively, p < 0.01), with no effect on fatigue index. HMB had no significant effect on aerobic fitness or on anabolic (growth hormone, IGF-I, testosterone), catabolic (cortisol) and inflammatory mediators (IL-6 and IL-1 receptor antagonist). HMB supplementation was associated with greater increases in muscle mass, muscle strength and anaerobic properties with no effect on aerobic capacity suggesting some advantage for its use in elite adolescent volleyball players during the initial phases of the training season. These effects were not accompanied by hormonal and inflammatory mediator changes.
Highlights
In the highly competitive sports world, where few millimeters or one-hundredth of a second could be the difference between fame and shame in an athlete’s career, nutritional supplements are becoming an inseparable partEur J Appl Physiol (2011) 111:2261–2269 of sport
Double-blind, placebo-controlled study, we studied the effect of Hydroxyb-Methylbutyric acid (HMB) (3 g/day) supplementation on body composition, muscle strength, anaerobic and aerobic capacity, anabolic/catabolic hormones and inflammatory mediators in elite, national team level adolescent volleyball players (13.5–18 years, 14 males, 14 females, Tanner stage 4–5) during the first 7 weeks of the training season
Several studies demonstrated beneficial effects for HMB in endurance-type training (Lamboley et al 2007; Vukovich and Dreifort 2001). These findings suggest that HMB supplementation during training may enhance adaptations of trained and untrained individuals, others report no significant effects of HMB supplementation (Hoffman et al 2004; Kreider et al 1999)
Summary
In the highly competitive sports world, where few millimeters or one-hundredth of a second could be the difference between fame and shame in an athlete’s career, nutritional supplements are becoming an inseparable partEur J Appl Physiol (2011) 111:2261–2269 of sport. In the highly competitive sports world, where few millimeters or one-hundredth of a second could be the difference between fame and shame in an athlete’s career, nutritional supplements are becoming an inseparable part. Billions of dollars are spent throughout the world on nutritional supplements, or ‘‘ergogenic aids’’. These substances are alleged to enhance performance by increasing exercise training-associated anabolic and reducing catabolic effects, decreasing fatigue, inducing desirable changes in body composition and improving aggression (Nemet et al 2005). Protein and amino acids are among the most popular ‘‘performance enhancing’’ supplements. Since amino acids and proteins are essential for the synthesis of structural proteins and are involved in numerous metabolic pathways associated with exercise, it has been suggested that athletes require additional proteins, either in their diet, or as supplements. The use of protein supplements in sports is very common, limited clinical data are available on beneficial effects of protein supplementation on exercise performance
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