title: High levels of dietary carnosine are associated with increased concentrations of carnosine and histidine in rat soleus muscle.
abstract: The aims of this investigation were to: 1) determine the effect of a moderately high dose of carnosine on muscle concentrations of carnosine, histidine and vitamin E at deficient, minimally adequate and sufficient levels of dietary vitamin E and 2) compare the effects of moderately high and pharmacological doses of carnosine on muscle concentrations of carnosine, histidine and vitamin E when dietary vitamin E is minimally adequate. Muscle concentrations of carnosine, histidine and vitamin E were measured in the lateral gastrocnemius and red and white vastus lateralis; carnosine and histidine concentrations were also measured in soleus muscle. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 12/group) were fed a basal vitamin E-deficient diet supplemented with either 0, 0.001 or 0.01% vitamin E and 0, 0.1 or 1.8% carnosine. After 8 wk, 1.8% carnosine resulted in significant fivefold increases in carnosine and twofold increases in histidine in the soleus muscle (P < or = 0.05). Muscle vitamin E concentrations were not significantly affected by dietary carnosine. Thus, very high levels of dietary carnosine are associated with increases in carnosine and histidine concentrations in rat soleus muscle.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Science/Division of Clinical Nutrition, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40506, USA. leah.maynard@wright.edu
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Maynard
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Boissonneault
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Chow
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Bruckner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D002336:Carnosine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006639:Histidine / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D018656:Muscle Fibers, Fast-Twitch / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D018657:Muscle Fibers, Slow-Twitch / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D014811:Vitamin E Deficiency / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D014810:Vitamin E; D006639:Histidine; D002336:Carnosine