The effects of acute branched-chain amino acid supplementation on recovery from a single bout of hypertrophy exercise in resistance-trained athletes.
This study investigated the effects of acute branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) supplementation on recovery from exercise-induced muscle damage among experienced resistance-trained athletes. In a double-blind matched-pairs design, 16 resistance-trained participants, routinely performing hypertrophy training, were randomly assigned to a BCAA (n = 8) or placebo (n = 8) group. The BCAAs were administered at a dosage of 0.087 g/kg body mass, with a 2:1:1 ratio of leucine, isoleucine, and valine. The participants performed 6 sets of 10 full-squats at 70% 1-repetition maximum to induce muscle damage. All participants were diet-controlled across the study. Creatine kinase, peak isometric knee-extensor force, perceived muscle soreness, and countermovement jump (CMJ) height were measured immediately before (baseline) and at 1 h, 24 h, and 48 h postexercise. There were large to very large time effects for all measurements between baseline and 24-48 h. Between-group comparisons, expressed as a percentage of baseline, revealed differences in isometric strength at 24-h (placebo ∼87% vs. BCAA ∼92%; moderate, likely), CMJ at 24 h (placebo ∼93% vs. BCAA ∼96%; small, likely), and muscle soreness at both 24 h (placebo ∼685% vs. BCAA ∼531%; small, likely) and 48 h (placebo ∼468% vs. BCAA ∼350%; small, likely). Acute supplementation of BCAAs (0.087 g/kg) increased the rate of recovery in isometric strength, CMJ height, and perceived muscle soreness compared with placebo after a hypertrophy-based training session among diet-controlled, resistance-trained athletes. These findings question the need for longer BCAA loading phases and highlight the importance of dietary control in studies of this type.
a School of Sport, Health and Applied Science, St Mary's University, Waldegrave Road, Twickenham, London TW1 4SX, UK.|b School of Science and Technology, University of New England, NSW 2350, Australia.
Mark
M
Waldron
a School of Sport, Health and Applied Science, St Mary's University, Waldegrave Road, Twickenham, London TW1 4SX, UK.
Kieran
K
Whelan
a School of Sport, Health and Applied Science, St Mary's University, Waldegrave Road, Twickenham, London TW1 4SX, UK.
Owen
O
Jeffries
c Sport and Exercise Science, Brindley Building, Staffordshire University, Leek Road, Stoke-on-Trent, UK.
Dean
D
Burt
a School of Sport, Health and Applied Science, St Mary's University, Waldegrave Road, Twickenham, London TW1 4SX, UK.
Louis
L
Howe
a School of Sport, Health and Applied Science, St Mary's University, Waldegrave Road, Twickenham, London TW1 4SX, UK.
Stephen David
SD
Patterson
D000597:Amino Acids, Branched-Chain / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D056352:Athletes; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000378:metabolism; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006984:Hypertrophy; D008297:Male; D053580:Muscle Strength; D063806:Myalgia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010807:Physical Endurance; D055070:Resistance Training; D055815:Young Adult
D000597:Amino Acids, Branched-Chain; D003402:Creatine Kinase
acides aminés; amino acids, muscle damage, hypertrophy, recovery, supplementation; exercice physique; exercise; hypertrophie; lésion musculaire; récupération; supplémentation