DigitalCommons@Linfield

Beta-Alanine Supplementation Can Buffer Muscle Fatigue in Humans

Jereld R. Nicholson Library

Intramuscular acidosis is one of the main causes of fatigue during intense exercise. Carnosine has been shown to play a significant role in muscle pH regulation by soaking up hydrogen ions that are released during exercise (Stout et al., 2008). Supplementing beta-alanine has been shown to boost carnosine concentrations, with the potential to increase physical performance during high intensity exercise (Hoffman et al., 2009). In this study, a randomized, double-blinded placebo-controlled design will be used to explore the effects of a pre-exercise supplementation, beta-alanine, combined with 60 days of high intensity aerobic performances and body composition. Following consumption of the supplement or placebo, subjects will rest for 10 minutes prior to completing a survey and commencing exercise. The survey consists of 4 questions regarding subject’s feelings of energy, fatigue, alertness, and focus at that moment. After completing the questionnaire, subjects perform HIIT while researchers log the time and number of repetitions each participant demonstrates, along with measuring their body composition at the end of each week. No significant differences between trials will be seen in any aerobic power measure. Subjective feelings of energy (3.5 ± 0.5 versus 3.1 ± 0.5) and focus (3.8 ± 0.5) will be significantly higher during supplementation compared to placebo. In addition, a trend towards an increase in average alertness (p=0.06) will be seen in supplementation compared to placebo (Hoffman et al., 2009). Results will demonstrate improvements in areas of focus and energy in humans who are fit, with no significant effect on aerobic power performance.