%0 Journal Article
%T ¦Â-alanine supplementation improves isometric endurance of the knee extensor muscles
%A Craig Sale
%A Chester A Hill
%A James Ponte
%A Roger C Harris
%J Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition
%D 2012
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1550-2783-9-26
%X Thirteen males (age 23£¿¡À£¿6 y; height 1.80£¿¡À£¿0.05£¿m; body mass 81.0£¿¡À£¿10.5£¿kg), matched for pre-supplementation isometric endurance, were allocated to either a placebo (n£¿=£¿6) or ¦Â-alanine (n£¿=£¿7; 6.4£¿g¡¤d-1 over 4£¿weeks) supplementation group. Participants completed an isometric knee extension test (IKET) to fatigue, at an intensity of 45% MVIC, before and after supplementation. In addition, two habituation tests were completed in the week prior to the pre-supplementation test and a further practice test was completed in the week prior to the post-supplementation test. MVIC force, IKET hold-time, and impulse generated were recorded.IKET hold-time increased by 9.7£¿¡À£¿9.4£¿s (13.2%) and impulse by 3.7£¿¡À£¿1.3 kN¡¤s-1 (13.9%) following ¦Â-alanine supplementation. These changes were significantly greater than those in the placebo group (IKET: t(11)£¿=£¿2.9, p ¡Ü0.05; impulse: t(11)£¿=£¿3.1, p£¿¡Ü£¿0.05). There were no significant changes in MVIC force in either group.Four weeks of ¦Â-alanine supplementation at 6.4£¿g¡¤d-1 improved endurance capacity of the knee extensors at 45% MVIC, which most likely results from improved pH regulation within the muscle cell as a result of elevated muscle carnosine levels.
%K ¦Â-alanine
%K Carnosine
%K Isometric endurance
%K Intramuscular buffering
%U http://www.jissn.com/content/9/1/26/abstract