Intramuscular acidosis is a contributing factor to fatigue during high-intensity exercise. Many nutritional strategies aiming to increase intra- and extracellular buffering capacity have been investigated. Among these, supplementation of beta-alanine (~3–6.4 g/day for 4 weeks or longer), the rate-limiting factor to the intramuscular synthesis of carnosine (i.e. an intracellular buffer), has been shown to result in positive effects on exercise performance in which acidosis is a contributing factor to fatigue. Furthermore, sodium bicarbonate, sodium citrate and sodium/calcium lactate supplementation have been employed in an attempt to increase the extracellular buffering capacity. Although all attempts have increased blood bicarbonate concentrations, evidence indicates that sodium bicarbonate (0.3 g/kg body mass) is the most effective in improving high-intensity exercise performance. The evidence supporting the ergogenic effects of sodium citrate and lactate remain weak. These nutritional strategies are not without side effects, as gastrointestinal distress is often associated with the effective doses of sodium bicarbonate, sodium citrate and calcium lactate. Similarly, paresthesia (i.e. tingling sensation of the skin) is currently the only known side effect associated with beta-alanine supplementation, and it is caused by the acute elevation in plasma beta-alanine concentration after a single dose of beta-alanine. Finally, the co-supplementation of beta-alanine and sodium bicarbonate may result in additive ergogenic gains during high-intensity exercise, although studies are required to investigate this combination in a wide range of sports.

/pdf/nutritional-strategies-to-modulate-intracellular-and-43rowekwkh.pdf

Nutritional Strategies to Modulate Intracellular and Extracellular Buffering Capacity During High-Intensity Exercise

Exercise but not (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate or β-alanine enhances physical fitness, brain plasticity, and behavioral performance in mice.

Longitudinal beta-alanine (BA) supplementation can improve exercise performance in males through increases in carnosine; however, females experience greater relative increases in carnosine compared to males. This potentially allows females to benefit from acute BA doses; however, effects of an acute BA dose on performance in females remain unknown. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate how an acute dose of 1.6 g BA affects anaerobic performance in female cyclists. Twelve females (age=26.6±1.3 y) volunteered to participate in this randomized, double-blind study. All participants completed two supplement trials: 1) Placebo=34 g dextrose and 2) BA=1.6 g BA + 34 g dextrose. Thirty-minutes after supplementation, participants performed three repeated Wingate cycling tests with 2 min of active rest after each. Fatigue index, mean power, and peak power were measured during each Wingate. Lactate, heart rate, and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were measured at rest, immediately after each Wingate, and after each active rest period. RPE significantly decreased (p 0.05). No significant supplementation effect was observed for any performance or physiological variable (p>0.05 for all variables). Findings suggest that an acute dose of BA (1.6 g) decreases RPE during anaerobic power activities in trained female cyclists.

Effects of Acute Beta-Alanine Supplementation on Anaerobic Performance in Trained Female Cyclists.

Supplements have been widely used among athletes in different fields. There have been some documents on using power enhancer agents since 1856.1 In a study by Kern et al.,3 it was found that supplementation with beta-alanine may improve exercise performance in wrestlers during a competitive season. In addition, Stout et al.,4 showed that consuming a single serving of Celsius, an energy drink, prior to working out may enhance the positive adaptations of chronic exercise on body composition and cardio-respiratory fitness and endurance performance in sedentary men and women. In another study by Ziegenfuss et al.,5 it was indicated that acute supplementation with a product containing primarily beta alanine, arginine, creatine malate and glycerol monostearate augments resistance without negatively affecting systemic hemodynamic.

Along with these studies, illegal aspects of power enhancer agent became formal over half a century later in 1910, when “Alkaloid” structure could be traced in chemical substances.6 At the same time, widespread use of supplements was observed among European professional athletes as a way to “improve athletic performance”.7,8 In 1960s, an increasing trend in such abuses was observed. Olympic Games in 1960 were accompanied with some athletes’ deaths due to amphetamine overdose.6,9

Since 1968, winter Olympic Games in France, formal regular laboratory tests became a routine in avoiding “Doping”. Surprisingly, non-sportive “Doping” was used during World War II to enhance German soldiers’ power and stimulate harsh behaviors.9,10 International Olympic Committee has recently defined “Doping” as ‘to prescribe or use any extrinsic or physiologic substance, in unusual amounts or through uncommon ways by athletes just to increase sportive performance in a competition’.11 In several studies, athletes in some certain fields have been more and less susceptible to “Doping” such as weight-lifting and skating, respectively. Due to all physical, psychological and ethical side-effects, International Olympic Committee (IOC), United States Olympic Committee (USOC), and many other sport committees and agencies have made several legal rules in order to forbid “Doping”.12 Following 6 years follow-up in the U.S. population, it was found that higher levels of education, income, and self-reported health status were all positively related to supplement use. Surprisingly, women were more likely to take supplements than men.13 Despite plenty of information about supplement use in different parts of the world, limited data is available in Iran. This is particularly relevant for bodybuilders which are more susceptible to use these supplements as compared with other sportsmen. Nowadays, Iranian adolescents and youth have a great desire to bodybuilding. As supplements are readily available to athletes and are more accepted by bodybuilders, thus investigation into current supplementation behaviors of these athletes is warranted. The aim of the present study was to estimate the prevalence and determinants of the use of supplements among bodybuilder from Isfahan.

Supplement consumption in body builder athletes

β-Alanine (BA) is a non-essential amino acid that has been shown to enhance exercise performance. The purpose of this investigation was to determine if BA supplementation improved the adaptive response to five weeks of a resistance training program. Thirty healthy, strength-trained individuals were randomly assigned to the experimental groups placebo (PLA) or BA. Over 5 weeks of strength training, subjects in BA took 6.4 g/day of BA as 8 × 800 mg doses each at least 1.5 h apart. The training program consisted of 3 sessions per week in which three different leg exercises were conducted as a circuit (back squat, barbell step ups and loaded jumping lunges). The program started with 3 sets of 40 s of work per exercise and rest periods between sets of 120 s in the first week. This training volume was then gradually built up to 5 sets of 20 s work/60 s rest in the fifth week. The work load during the program was set by one of the authors according to the individual’s perceived effort the previous week. The variables measured were average velocity, peak velocity, average power, peak power, and load in kg in a back squat, incremental load, one-repetition maximum (1RM) test. In addition, during the rest period, jump ability (jump height and power) was assessed on a force platform. To compare data, a general linear model with repeated measures two-way analysis of variance was used. Significantly greater training improvements were observed in the BA group versus PLA group (p = 0.045) in the variables average power at 1RM (BA: 42.65%, 95% CI, 432.33, 522.52 VS. PLA: 21.07%, 95% CI, 384.77, 482.19) and average power at maximum power output (p = 0.037) (BA: 20.17%, 95% CI, 637.82, 751.90 VS. PLA; 10.74%, 95% CI, 628.31, 751.53). The pre- to post training average power gain produced at 1RM in BA could be explained by a greater maximal strength gain, or load lifted at 1RM (p = 0.014) (24 kg, 95% CI, 19.45, 28.41 VS. 16 kg, 95% CI, 10.58, 20.25) and in the number of sets executed (p = 0.025) in the incremental load test (BA: 2.79 sets, 95% CI, 2.08, 3.49 VS. PLA: 1.58 sets, 95% CI, 0.82, 2.34). β-Alanine supplementation was effective at increasing power output when lifting loads equivalent to the individual’s maximal strength or when working at maximum power output. The improvement observed at 1RM was explained by a greater load lifted, or strength gain, in response to training in the participants who took this supplement.

/pdf/effects-of-b-alanine-supplementation-during-a-5-week-3499wczey1.pdf

Effects of β-alanine supplementation during a 5-week strength training program: a randomized, controlled study

Background Supplementation with β-alanine has been associated with improved strength, anaerobic endurance, body composition and performance on tests of anaerobic power output following varying training protocols, including high intensity interval training (HIIT) and heavy resistance training. Early season training for collegiate wrestling includes repeated bouts of high intensity exercise with intermittent rest periods; this type of training parallels HIIT from a metabolic standpoint. Collegiate wrestlers also use moderate to high intensity resistance training with high work to rest ratios. In-season football training includes repeated bouts of short sprints and Olympic/ power lifting with low work to rest ratios.

/pdf/effects-of-beta-alanine-supplementation-on-performance-and-448q1vqe41.pdf

Effects of beta-alanine supplementation on performance and body composition in collegiate wrestlers and football players

Background The goal of wrestlers during a competitive season is to maintain or lose body weight without compromising athletic performance. However, some studies have reported decrements in exercise performance associated with weight loss and/or the strain of a competitive season. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to examine the effects of 8 week beta-alanine (β-ala) supplementation on exercise performance in Division II collegiate wrestlers during a competitive season.

/pdf/effects-of-beta-alanine-supplementation-on-exercise-33fvizjkai.pdf

Effects of beta-alanine supplementation on exercise performance during a competitive wrestling season: an 8-week open label pilot study

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Effects of beta-alanine supplementation on performance and body composition in collegiate wrestlers and football players

Effects of beta-alanine supplementation on exercise performance during a competitive wrestling season: an 8-week open label pilot study