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Duttagupta S, Krishna Roy N, Dey G. Efficacy of amino acids in sports nutrition- review of clinical evidences. Food Res Int 2024; 187:114311. [PMID: 38763626 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2024.114311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024]
Abstract
The efficacy of amino acids as popular sports supplements has triggered debates, with their impact on athletic performance varying across sports disciplines due to diversity and heterogeneity in clinical trials. This review evaluates the ergogenic potential of amino acids, by critical appraisal of results of clinical trials of Branched chain amino acids (BCAAs), arginine, glutamine, citrulline, β-alanine, and taurine, performed on elite sportsmen from various land and water sports. Clinical trials reviewed here confirm notable physiological benefits thereby supporting the claim that BCAA, citrulline and arginine in various doses can have positive effects on endurance and overall performance in sportsperson. Furthermore, results of clinical trials and metabolomic studies indicate that in future it would be more beneficial to design precise formulations to target the requirement of specific sports. For instance, some combinations of amino acids may be more suitable for long term endurance and some others may be suitable for short burst of excessive energy. The most important insights from this review are the identification of three key areas where research is urgently needed: a) Biomarkers that can identify the physiological end points and to distinguish the specific role of amino acid as anti-fatigue or reducing muscle soreness or enhancing energy b) In-depth sports-wise clinical trials on elite sportsperson to understand the ergogenic needs for the particular sports c) Design of precision formula for similar types of sports instead of common supplements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sreya Duttagupta
- School of Biotechnology, KIIT-Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar 751024, India
| | - Niladri Krishna Roy
- School of Biotechnology, KIIT-Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar 751024, India
| | - Gargi Dey
- School of Biotechnology, KIIT-Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar 751024, India.
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Fernández-Lázaro D, Fiandor EM, García JF, Busto N, Santamaría-Peláez M, Gutiérrez-Abejón E, Roche E, Mielgo-Ayuso J. β-Alanine Supplementation in Combat Sports: Evaluation of Sports Performance, Perception, and Anthropometric Parameters and Biochemical Markers-A Systematic Review of Clinical Trials. Nutrients 2023; 15:3755. [PMID: 37686787 PMCID: PMC10490143 DOI: 10.3390/nu15173755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
β-alanine does not have an ergogenic effect by itself, but it does as a precursor for the synthesis of carnosine in human skeletal muscle. β-alanine and carnosine together help improve the muscles' functionality, especially in high-intensity exercises such as combat sports. Therefore, β-alanine could be considered a nutritional ergogenic aid to improve sports performance in combat athletes. We aimed to critically review clinical trial evidence on the impact of β-alanine supplementation on sports performance, perception, and anthropometric parameters, as well as circulating biochemical markers in combat athletes. This systematic review was conducted following the specific methodological guidelines of the Preferred Report Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines (PRISMA), the PICOS question model, the Critical Review Form of McMaster, and the PEDro scale. Furthermore, the Cochrane risk-of-bias assessment tool was used. The search was carried out in the SCOPUS, Web of Science (WOS), and Medline (PubMed) databases for studies published from the beginning of the database until July 31, 2023. Of the 41 registers identified, only 7 met the established criteria and were included in this systematic review. Overall, performance parameters related to strength, power, total exercise work capacity, and combat-specific parameters were significantly improved (p < 0.05). Perception parameters increased non-significantly (p > 0.05). Regarding biochemical parameters, carnosine increased significantly (p < 0.05), pH decreased non-significantly (p > 0.05), and the results for blood bicarbonate and blood lactate were heterogeneous. Finally, there was a non-significant (p > 0.05) improvement in the anthropometric parameters of lean mass and fat mass. β-alanine supplementation appears to be safe and could be a suitable nutritional ergogenic aid for combat athletes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Fernández-Lázaro
- Department of Cellular Biology, Genetics, Histology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Valladolid, Campus of Soria, 42004 Soria, Spain
- Neurobiology Research Group, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valladolid, 47005 Valladolid, Spain
- Research Group “Nutrition and Physical Activity”, Spanish Nutrition Society “SEÑ”, 28010 Madrid, Spain; (E.R.); (J.M.-A.)
| | - Emma Marianne Fiandor
- Faculty of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences, European University, 28670 Villaviciosa de Odón, Spain;
| | - Juan F. García
- Department of Mechanical, Informatics and Aerospatial Engineering, University of Leon, 24071 Leon, Spain
| | - Natalia Busto
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Burgos, 09001 Burgos, Spain
| | - Mirian Santamaría-Peláez
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Burgos, 09001 Burgos, Spain
| | - Eduardo Gutiérrez-Abejón
- Pharmacological Big Data Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valladolid, 47005 Valladolid, Spain
- Pharmacy Directorate, Castilla y León Health Council, 47007 Valladolid, Spain
| | - Enrique Roche
- Research Group “Nutrition and Physical Activity”, Spanish Nutrition Society “SEÑ”, 28010 Madrid, Spain; (E.R.); (J.M.-A.)
- Department of Applied Biology-Nutrition, Institute of Bioengineering, University Miguel Hernández, 03202 Elche, Spain
- Alicante Institute for Health and Biomedical Research (ISABIAL), 03010 Alicante, Spain
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBEROBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Mielgo-Ayuso
- Research Group “Nutrition and Physical Activity”, Spanish Nutrition Society “SEÑ”, 28010 Madrid, Spain; (E.R.); (J.M.-A.)
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Burgos, 09001 Burgos, Spain
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Nutritional Ergogenic Aids in Combat Sports: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14132588. [PMID: 35807770 PMCID: PMC9268044 DOI: 10.3390/nu14132588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Nutritional ergogenic aids (NEAs) are substances included within the group of sports supplements. Although they are widely consumed by athletes, evidence-based analysis is required to support training outcomes or competitive performance in specific disciplines. Combat sports have a predominant use of anaerobic metabolism as a source of energy, reaching peak exertion or sustained effort for very short periods of time. In this context, the use of certain NEAs could help athletes to improve their performance in those specific combat skills (i.e., the number of attacks, throws and hits; jump height; and grip strength, among others) as well as in general physical aspects (time to exhaustion [TTE], power, fatigue perception, heart rate, use of anaerobic metabolism, etc.). Medline/PubMed, Scopus and EBSCO were searched from their inception to May 2022 for randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Out of 677 articles found, 55 met the predefined inclusion criteria. Among all the studied NEAs, caffeine (5–10 mg/kg) showed strong evidence for its use in combat sports to enhance the use of glycolytic pathways for energy production during high-intensity actions due to a greater production of and tolerance to blood lactate levels. In this regard, abilities including the number of attacks, reaction time, handgrip strength, power and TTE, among others, were improved. Buffering supplements such as sodium bicarbonate, sodium citrate and beta-alanine may have a promising role in high and intermittent exertion during combat, but more studies are needed in grappling combat sports to confirm their efficacy during sustained isometric exertion. Other NEAs, including creatine, beetroot juice or glycerol, need further investigation to strengthen the evidence for performance enhancement in combat sports. Caffeine is the only NEA that has shown strong evidence for performance enhancement in combat sports.
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Ashtary-Larky D, Bagheri R, Ghanavati M, Asbaghi O, Wong A, Stout JR, Suzuki K. Effects of beta-alanine supplementation on body composition: a GRADE-assessed systematic review and meta-analysis. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2022; 19:196-218. [PMID: 35813845 PMCID: PMC9261744 DOI: 10.1080/15502783.2022.2079384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Previous studies have suggested that beta-alanine supplementation may benefit exercise performance, but current evidence regarding its effects on body composition remains unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the effects of beta-alanine supplementation on body composition indices. Methods Online databases, including PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase, were searched up to April 2021 to retrieve randomized controlled trials (RCTs), which examined the effect of beta-alanine supplementation on body composition indices. Meta-analyses were carried out using a random-effects model. The I2 index was used to assess the heterogeneity of RCTs. Results Among the initial 1413 studies that were identified from electronic databases search, 20 studies involving 492 participants were eligible. Pooled effect size from 20 studies indicated that beta-alanine supplementation has no effect on body mass (WMD: −0.15 kg; 95% CI: −0.78 to 0.47; p = 0.631, I2 = 0.0%, p = 0.998), fat mass (FM) (WMD: −0.24 kg; 95% CI: −1.16 to 0.68; p = 0.612, I2 = 0.0%, p = 0.969), body fat percentage (BFP) (WMD: −0.06%; 95% CI: −0.53 to 0.40; p = 0.782, I2 = 0.0%, p = 0.936), and fat-free mass (FFM) (WMD: 0.05 kg; 95% CI: −0.71 to 0.82; p = 0.889, I2 = 0.0%, p = 0.912). Subgroup analyses based on exercise type (resistance training [RT], endurance training [ET], and combined training [CT]), study duration (<8 and ≥8 weeks), and beta-alanine dosage (<6 and ≥6 g/d) demonstrated similar results. Certainty of evidence across outcomes ranged from low to moderate. Conclusions This meta-analysis study suggests that beta-alanine supplementation is unlikely to improve body composition indices regardless of supplementation dosage and its combination with exercise training. No studies have examined the effect of beta-alanine combined with both diet and exercise on body composition changes as the primary variable. Therefore, future studies examining the effect of the combination of beta-alanine supplementation with a hypocaloric diet and exercise programs are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damoon Ashtary-Larky
- Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Nutrition and Metabolic Diseases Research Center, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Reza Bagheri
- Department of Exercise Physiology, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Matin Ghanavati
- Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Faculty of Nutrition Sciences and Food Technology, Teheran, Iran
| | - Omid Asbaghi
- Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Cancer Research Center, Tehran, Iran
| | - Alexei Wong
- Marymount University, Department of Health and Human Performance, Arlington, VA, USA
| | - Jeffrey R. Stout
- University of Central Florida, Institute of Exercise Physiology and Physical Therapy, School of Kinesiology and Physical Therapy, Orlando, FL, USA
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Wang JS, Seo DW, Cha JY. Mouthguard-effect of high-intensity weight training on masticatory muscle tone and stiffness in taekwondo athletes. J Exerc Rehabil 2021; 16:510-515. [PMID: 33457387 PMCID: PMC7788255 DOI: 10.12965/jer.2040698.349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to analyze the effect of wearing a mouthguard or not on masticatory muscle tone and stiffness of male taekwondo athletes during high-intensity weight training. The participants were male taekwondo athletes and aged 18 to 22 years. We randomly divided 24 men into the control group (CON; without a mouthguard; n=12) and the experimental group (MOG; with a mouthguard; n=12). Masticatory muscle tone and stiffness were measured after weight training at a level of 70% of one-repetition maximum. As a result of this study, masticatory muscle tone was no different in intragroup and intergroup after experiment. In addition, although the masticatory muscle stiffness was significantly higher in the dominant side of the MOG, there was no difference in intergroup, intragroup, and interaction. Through this study, it is necessary to consider the selective wearing of a mouthguard according to the training methods when partially analyzed from the physiological point of view of the masticatory muscle of taekwondo athletes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joong-San Wang
- Department of Physical Therapy, Howon University, Gunsan, Korea
| | - Dae-Won Seo
- Department of Sports & Guard, Howon University, Gunsan, Korea
| | - Jun-Youl Cha
- Department of Sports & Guard, Howon University, Gunsan, Korea
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