Hormonal Responses to Resistance Exercise after Ingestion of Carnosine and Anserine

• DOI: 10.1519/jsc.0b013e3181bac43c
• Publication Date: 2010-11-06T05:26:42Z
• Authors: Kazushige Goto; Hirohiko Maemura; Kaoru Takamatsu; Naokata Ishii
• Keywords: Adult; Male; Analysis of Variance; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Epinephrine; Human Growth Hormone; Carnosine; Administration, Oral; Resistance Training; Drug Administration Schedule; Norepinephrine; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Reference Values; Lactates; Physical Endurance; Humans; Testosterone; Anserine; Muscle Strength; Muscle, Skeletal

Intramuscular carnosine buffers protons (H+) in skeletal muscle. We examined the effects of supplementation with chicken breast meat extract (CBEX) containing carnosine and anserine on hormonal responses to resistance exercise. Twenty-two men were assigned to a CBEX drink group (CBEX containing total 2 g of carnosine and anserine) (n = 14) or a placebo drink group (n = 8). The subjects ingested the prescribed drink (100 mL) twice daily for 30 days without physical training. Before and after the supplementation period, the subjects completed 5 sets of bilateral knee extension exercises (with a 90-s rest between sets). The magnitude of the increase in exercise-induced free testosterone did not change significantly after supplementation in either group. The blood lactate response to exercise was attenuated after supplementation in both groups (p < 0.05). In the CBEX group, the plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine concentrations after exercise were significantly lower after supplementation (p < 0.05). The serum growth hormone response to exercise was also reduced in the CBEX group after supplementation (delta value: 5.4 ± 1.9 ng/mL [pre] vs. 1.6 ± 0.5 ng/mL [post], p = 0.05). No significant differences in exercise-induced strength reduction (fatigue index) were observed in the 2 groups after supplementation. These results suggest that short-term supplementation with CBEX attenuates the exercise-induced epinephrine, norepinephrine, and growth hormone responses.