title: Combined effect of branched-chain amino acids and taurine supplementation on delayed onset muscle soreness and muscle damage in high-intensity eccentric exercise.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous studies have evaluated the effectiveness of branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) supplementation for preventing delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and muscle damage induced by eccentric exercise, their findings have been inconclusive. Since taurine has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects, the present study investigated the combined effect of BCAA and taurine on DOMS and muscle damage.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-six untrained male subjects (22.5 ± 3.8 years) were assigned to four groups (placebo + placebo [placebo], BCAA + placebo, placebo + taurine, and BCAA + taurine [combined]) and given a combination of 3.2 g BCAA (or placebo) and 2.0 g taurine (or placebo), three times a day, for two weeks prior to and three days after eccentric elbow flexor exercises. DOMS and muscle damage in the biceps brachii were subjectively and objectively evaluated using the visual analogue scale (VAS), upper arm circumference (CIR), and blood parameters (creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase [LDH], aldolase, and 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine [8-OHdG]).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the combined group, VAS and 8-OHdG two days after exercise, CIR two and three days after exercise and LDH from one to three days after exercise were significantly lower than the placebo group. The area under the curve from before exercise to four days later for CIR, LDH, and aldolase was also significantly lower in the combined group than in the placebo group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A combination of 3.2 g BCAA and 2.0 g taurine, three times a day, for two weeks prior to and three days after exercise may be a useful nutritional strategy for attenuating exercise-induced DOMS and muscle damage.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8574, Japan.|Research Fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Sciences, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0083, Japan.
authors.forename: Song-Gyu
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Ra
authors.affiliation: Joint Research Center, Tokyo Medical University Ibaraki Medical Center, Ami, Ibaraki 300-0395, Japan.
authors.forename: Teruo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miyazaki
authors.affiliation: Sports Research and Development Core, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8574, Japan.
authors.forename: Keisuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ishikura
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Physical Education, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8574, Japan.
authors.forename: Hisashi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nagayama
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8574, Japan.
authors.forename: Shoichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Komine
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8574, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakata
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8574, Japan.
authors.forename: Seiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maeda
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Tokyo Medical University Ibaraki Medical Center, Ami, Ibaraki 300-0395, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsuzaki
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8574, Japan.
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ohmori