Beta-alanine Supplementation and High-intensity Interval Training

Healthy Clinical Trial

— BEAST  

Official title:

Does Beta-alanine Supplementation Augment the Skeletal Muscle Adaptive Response to 8 Weeks of High-intensity Interval Training

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT03708185
• Other study ID #: 180509/B/02
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: June 4, 2018
• Est. completion date: June 28, 2021

Study information

• Verified date: September 2021
• Source: University of Exeter
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

The present study will seek to quantify whether a period of HIIT alongside β-alanine supplementation will improve the adaptation to training, and therefore performance, more than a period of HIIT alone.

Description:

Whilst high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a powerful stimulus to increase endurance exercise performance, there are potential nutritional interventions that can be put in place to further increase performance gains.

Energy for the contraction of muscles is created in the mitochondria. HIIT can improve the function of mitochondria, therefore improving performance.

Β-alanine is a commonly used supplement that can improve exercise performance by increasing the amount of carnosine in muscle. Carnosine has many functions that may help improve exercise capacity.

The present study will seek to quantify whether a period of HIIT alongside β-alanine supplementation will improve the adaptation to training, and therefore performance, more than a period of HIIT alone.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 26
• Est. completion date: June 28, 2021
• Est. primary completion date: December 20, 2019
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years to 50 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Moderately trained (vo2max: 50 - 60 ml/kg/min).

• Females must be taking an oral contraceptive, or using a contraceptive implant.

Exclusion Criteria:

• A recent history of musculoskeletal injury

• Diagnosed cardiovascular or metabolic disease

• Regular use of beta-alanine supplements

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Healthy

Intervention

Dietary Supplement:
• Beta-alanine
N/A: see arm description
• Placebo
N/A: see arm description

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United Kingdom	School of Sport and Health Sciences	Exeter	Devon

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University of Exeter

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United Kingdom, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Change from baseline work done on a cycle ergometer in a cycling capacity test at 110%VO2max following a period of 4 weeks of beta-alanine supplementation and then 8 weeks of beta-alanine supplementation and high intensity interval training	Subjects will have previously performed an incremental test to exhaustion (VO2max test). A work-load that corresponds to 110 % of the peak power output (Wmax) will be calculated, and participants will be asked to cycle at this power output until volitional exhaustion. This test will be preceded but a bout of 90-minute cycling at 65%VO2max. Tests will be performed on a Lode Excalibur Sport, and software linked to the bike will record data.	At weeks 0, 4 and 12 of study.
Secondary	VO2max	VO2max will be determined from data collected through a metabolic cart. It will be measured during an incremental test to exhaustion performed on a cycle ergometer.	At weeks 0, 4, 8 and 12 of study.
Secondary	Substrate utilisation	Substrate utilisation will be calculated from data collected through a metabolic cart and its software. It will be measured during the 90-minute steady-state cycle for 4 periods of 3 minutes. Carbohydrate and lipid oxidation rates will be calculated using equations by Jeukendrup & Wallis (2005).	At weeks 0, 4 and 12 of study.
Secondary	Muscle carnosine concentration	Using the Bergstrom muscle biopsy technique. Samples will be frozen immediately in liquid nitrogen and will be later analysed using validated techniques	At weeks 0, 4 and 12 of study.
Secondary	Muscle enzyme (citrate synthase, hexokinase, ß-HAD, PFK) activity	Using the Bergstrom muscle biopsy technique. Samples will be frozen immediately in liquid nitrogen and will be later analysed using validated techniques	At weeks 0, 4 and 12 of study.
Secondary	Muscle buffering capacity	Using the Bergstrom muscle biopsy technique. Samples will be frozen immediately in liquid nitrogen and will be later analysed using validated techniques	At weeks 0, 4 and 12 of study.
Secondary	Muscle metabolites (AMP, ADP, ATP, Pi, IMP, PCr, Cr, lactate, pyruvate, NAD+/NADH, glucose, G6P, citrate)	Using the Bergstrom muscle biopsy technique. Samples will be frozen immediately in liquid nitrogen and will be later analysed using validated techniques	At weeks 0, 4 and 12 of study.
Secondary	Muscle gene expression	Using the Bergstrom muscle biopsy technique. Samples will be frozen immediately in liquid nitrogen and will be later analysed using validated techniques	At weeks 0, 4 and 12 of study.
Secondary	Plasma metabolites (NEFA, glucose, glycerol, lactate)	A cannula will be used to draw blood from subjects at several time points. Whole blood will be centrifuged immediately and its plasma split into aliquots and stored in a -80°C freezer for later analysis.	At weeks 0, 4 and 12 of study.
Secondary	Heart rate	Heart rate will be measured throughout with the use of a heart rate monitor.	At weeks 0, 4 and 12 of study, and through whole training period (weeks 8-12)