Doubling of Muscle Carnosine Concentration Does Not Improve Laboratory 1-Hr Cycling Time-Trial Performance

• DOI: 10.1123/ijsnem.2013-0125
• Publication Date: 2014-01-17T21:31:57Z
• Authors: Weiliang Chung; Audrey Baguet; Tine Bex; David J. Bishop; Wim Derave
• Keywords: Carnosine; Time trial; Cycling; Doubling time

Muscle carnosine loading through chronic oral beta-alanine supplementation has been shown to be effective for short-duration, high-intensity exercise. This randomized, placebo-controlled study explored whether the ergogenic effect of is also present longer duration Subjects (27 well-trained cyclists/triathletes) were supplemented with either or placebo (6.4 g/day) 6 weeks. Time completion and physiological variables a 1-hr cycling time-trial compared between preand postsupplementation. concentration was assessed via proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy before after supplementation. Following supplementation, muscle increased by 143 ± 151% (mean SD ; p < .001) in gastrocnemius 161 56% ( soleus. Postsupplementation time trial performance significantly slower group (60.6 4.4–63.0 5.4 min; .01) trended toward following (59.8 2.8–61.7 3.0 = .069). We found an increase lactate/proton ratio during (209.0 44.0 (beta-alanine) vs. 161.9 54.4 (placebo); .05), indicating that similar lactate accompanied lower degree systemic acidosis, even though this acidosis quite moderate (pH ranging from 7.30 7.40). In conclusion, cyclists had very pronounced on attenuating associated accumulation, yet without affecting 1-h under laboratory conditions.