β-Alanine Supplementation Does Not Augment the Skeletal Muscle Adaptive Response to 6 Weeks of Sprint Interval Training

• DOI: 10.1123/ijsnem.2015-0046
• Publication Date: 2015-05-22T14:48:55Z
• Authors: Andrew J.R. Cochran; Michael E. Percival; Sara Thompson; Jenna B. Gillen; Martin J. MacInnis; Murray A. Potter; Mark A. Tarnopolsky; Martin J. Gibala
• Keywords: Sprint; Interval training; High-Intensity Interval Training; Time trial; Repeated measures design; Creatine kinase

Sprint interval training (SIT), repeated bouts of high-intensity exercise, improves skeletal muscle oxidative capacity and exercise performance. β-alanine (β-ALA) supplementation has been shown to enhance performance, which led us hypothesize that chronic β-ALA would augment work during SIT training-induced adaptations in Twenty-four active but untrained men (23 ± 2 yr; VO2peak = 50 6 mL · kg(-1) min(-1)) ingested 3.2 g/day or a placebo (PLA) for total 10 weeks (n 12 per group). Following 4 baseline supplementation, participants completed 6-week intervention. Each 3 weekly sessions consisted 4-6 Wingate tests, i.e., 30-s maximal cycling, interspersed with min recovery. Before after the program, 250-kJ time trial sprint test. Biopsies (v. lateralis) revealed carnosine content increased by 33% 52%, respectively, was unchanged PLA. Total performed each session similar across treatments. markers mitochondrial content, including cytochome c oxidase (40%) β-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase activities (19%), as well (9%), repeated-sprint (5%), performance (13%), there were no differences between treatments any measure (p < .01, main effects time; p > .05, interaction effects). The stimulus may have overwhelmed potential influence β-ALA, protocol insufficient alter variables detectable extent.