title: β-Alanine supplementation slightly enhances repeated plyometric performance after high-intensity training in humans.
abstract: β-Alanine (BA) supplementation has become an ergogenic aid amongst competitive athletes to augment intramuscular carnosine content, leading to higher buffer capacity and exercise performance. We investigated 27 regularly trained young males and females who were randomly allocated either to placebo (PL) or BA ingestion for 8 weeks. Every single day, BA or PL (4.0-5.6 g day(-1)) supplements were ingested by participants and associated with a strong plyometric high-intensity training (two sessions per week during the 8 weeks). Before and after training, maximal jump heights were recorded during squat jump (SJ) and countermovement jump (CMJ) and an index of fatigue was recorded as a mean height of 45 consecutive CMJ. Blood lactate was measured at rest, after completing the fatigue test and every 5 min thereafter up to 30 min recovery. After plyometric training, SJ and CMJ were increased, respectively, by 8.8 and 6.4 % in PL group and 9.9 and 11.0 % in BA group (p < 0.01, no difference between groups). Blood lactate reached a maximal value of 9.4 ± 1.6 mmol l(-1) in PL group, and 10.3 ± 1.3 mmol l(-1) in BA group, with a slight better performance in the fatigue test (+8.6 %, p ≤ 0.01) for BA group as compared to PL group. To conclude, 2-month β-alanine supplementation resulted in a slight improvement of explosive force after 45 maximal consecutive jumps in young athletes. However, the practical adequacy of supplementation remains questionable in an active and healthy population.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Biometry and Exercise Nutrition, Faculty of Motor Sciences, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB Belgium), Campus Erasme CP 640, 808 Route de Lennik, 1070, Brussels, Belgium, acarpent@ulb.ac.be.
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carpentier
authors.forename: Naïma
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Olbrechts
authors.forename: Stéphanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vieillevoye
authors.forename: Jacques R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Poortmans
mesh_terms: D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D058573:Performance-Enhancing Substances / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000187:drug effects; D059385:Plyometric Exercise; D055815:Young Adult; D015091:beta-Alanine / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D058573:Performance-Enhancing Substances; D015091:beta-Alanine