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Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2013 Mar 5. [Epub ahead of print]
Meal and Beta-Alanine Coingestion Enhances Muscle Carnosine Loading.
Stegen S, Blancquaert L, Everaert I, Bex T, Taes Y, Calders P, Achten E, Derave W.
Source
1Department of Movement and Sports Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium 2Department of Endocrinology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium 3Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, Ghent University, Belgium 4Department of Radiology, Ghent Institute for Functional and Metabolic Imaging, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION:
Beta-alanine (BA) is a popular ergogenic supplement as it can induce muscle carnosine loading. We hypothesize that, by analogy with creatine supplementation, 1) an inverse relationship between urinary excretion and muscle loading is present, and 2) the latter is stimulated by carbohydrate-and protein-induced insulin action.
METHODS:
In study A, the effect of 5 weeks slow-release BA (SRBA) supplementation (4.8g/day) on whole body BA retention was determined in 7 men. We further determined whether co-ingestion of carbohydrates and proteins with SRBA would improve retention. In study B (34 subjects), we explored the effect of meal-timing on muscle carnosine loading (3.2g/day during 6-7 weeks). One group received pure BA (PBA) in between the meals, the other received PBA at start of the meals, in order to explore the effect of meal-induced insulin release. Further, we compared with a third group receiving SRBA at start of the meals.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:
Orally ingested SRBA has a very high whole body retention (97-98%), that is not declining throughout the 5 weeks supplementation period, nor is it influenced by co-ingestion of macronutrients. Thus, a very small portion (1-2%) is lost through urinary excretion, and equally only a small portion is incorporated into muscle carnosine (~3%), indicating that the majority of ingested BA is metabolized (possibly through oxidation). Secondly, in soleus muscles, the efficiency of carnosine loading is significantly higher when PBA is co-ingested with a meal (+64%), compared to in between the meals (+41%), suggesting that insulin stimulates muscle carnosine loading. Finally, chronic supplementation of SRBA versus PBA seem equally effective.
PMID: 23439427 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Meal and Beta-Alanine Coingestion Enhan... [Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2013] - PubMed - NCBI
Meal and Beta-Alanine Coingestion Enhances Muscle Carnosine Loading.
Stegen S, Blancquaert L, Everaert I, Bex T, Taes Y, Calders P, Achten E, Derave W.
Source
1Department of Movement and Sports Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium 2Department of Endocrinology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium 3Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, Ghent University, Belgium 4Department of Radiology, Ghent Institute for Functional and Metabolic Imaging, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION:
Beta-alanine (BA) is a popular ergogenic supplement as it can induce muscle carnosine loading. We hypothesize that, by analogy with creatine supplementation, 1) an inverse relationship between urinary excretion and muscle loading is present, and 2) the latter is stimulated by carbohydrate-and protein-induced insulin action.
METHODS:
In study A, the effect of 5 weeks slow-release BA (SRBA) supplementation (4.8g/day) on whole body BA retention was determined in 7 men. We further determined whether co-ingestion of carbohydrates and proteins with SRBA would improve retention. In study B (34 subjects), we explored the effect of meal-timing on muscle carnosine loading (3.2g/day during 6-7 weeks). One group received pure BA (PBA) in between the meals, the other received PBA at start of the meals, in order to explore the effect of meal-induced insulin release. Further, we compared with a third group receiving SRBA at start of the meals.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:
Orally ingested SRBA has a very high whole body retention (97-98%), that is not declining throughout the 5 weeks supplementation period, nor is it influenced by co-ingestion of macronutrients. Thus, a very small portion (1-2%) is lost through urinary excretion, and equally only a small portion is incorporated into muscle carnosine (~3%), indicating that the majority of ingested BA is metabolized (possibly through oxidation). Secondly, in soleus muscles, the efficiency of carnosine loading is significantly higher when PBA is co-ingested with a meal (+64%), compared to in between the meals (+41%), suggesting that insulin stimulates muscle carnosine loading. Finally, chronic supplementation of SRBA versus PBA seem equally effective.
PMID: 23439427 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Meal and Beta-Alanine Coingestion Enhan... [Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2013] - PubMed - NCBI