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Effects of beta-alanine supplementation and interval training on physiological determinants of severe exercise performance

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Abstract

Introduction

We aimed to manipulate physiological determinants of severe exercise performance. We hypothesized that (1) beta-alanine supplementation would increase intramuscular carnosine and buffering capacity and dampen acidosis during severe cycling, (2) that high-intensity interval training (HIT) would enhance aerobic energy contribution during severe cycling, and (3) that HIT preceded by beta-alanine supplementation would have greater benefits.

Methods

Sixteen active men performed incremental cycling tests and 90-s severe (110 % peak power) cycling tests at three time points: before and after oral supplementation with either beta-alanine or placebo, and after an 11-days HIT block (9 sessions, 4 × 4 min), which followed supplementation. Carnosine was assessed via MR spectroscopy. Energy contribution during 90-s severe cycling was estimated from the O2 deficit. Biopsies from m. vastus lateralis were taken before and after the test.

Results

Beta-alanine increased leg muscle carnosine (32 ± 13 %, d = 3.1). Buffering capacity and incremental cycling were unaffected, but during 90-s severe cycling, beta-alanine increased aerobic energy contribution (1.4 ± 1.3 %, d = 0.5), concurrent with reduced O2 deficit (−5.0 ± 5.0 %, d = 0.6) and muscle lactate accumulation (−23 ± 30 %, d = 0.9), while having no effect on pH. Beta-alanine also enhanced motivation and perceived state during the HIT block. There were no between-group differences in adaptations to the training block, namely increased buffering capacity (+7.9 ± 11.9 %, p = 0.04, d = 0.6, n = 14) and glycogen storage (+30 ± 47 %, p = 0.04, d = 0.5, n = 16).

Conclusions

Beta-alanine did not affect buffering considerably, but has beneficial effects on severe exercise metabolism as well as psychological parameters during intense training phases.

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Acknowledgments

This project was supported by research grants from the Swiss Federal Office of Sport (project 10-14) and the Swiss National Science Fund (project 320030_135743).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Anatomy, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 2, 3012, Bern, Switzerland

    Micah Gross, Hans Hoppeler & Michael Vogt

  2. Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland

    Micah Gross & Christine S. Bolliger

  3. Department of Clinical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland

    Chris Boesch & Christine S. Bolliger

  4. Department of Diagnostic, Interventional, and Pediatric Radiology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland

    Chris Boesch & Christine S. Bolliger

  5. Division of Clinical Physiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden

    Barbara Norman & Thomas Gustafsson

  6. Swiss Federal Institute of Sport, Magglingen, Switzerland

    Micah Gross & Michael Vogt

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  1. Micah Gross
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  2. Chris Boesch
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  3. Christine S. Bolliger
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Correspondence to Micah Gross.

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Communicated by Klaas R. Westerterp/Håkan Westerblad.

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Gross, M., Boesch, C., Bolliger, C.S. et al. Effects of beta-alanine supplementation and interval training on physiological determinants of severe exercise performance. Eur J Appl Physiol 114, 221–234 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-013-2767-8

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