Beta-alanine (Carnosyn™) supplementation in elderly subjects (60–80 years): effects on muscle carnosine content and physical capacity

• Published in: Amino acids Vol. 43; no. 1; pp. 49 - 56
• Main Authors: del Favero, Serena, Roschel, Hamilton, Solis, Marina Y., Hayashi, Ana P., Artioli, Guilherme G., Otaduy, Maria Concepción, Benatti, Fabiana B., Harris, Roger C., Wise, John A., Leite, Cláudia C., Pereira, Rosa M., de Sá-Pinto, Ana L., Lancha-Junior, Antonio Herbert, Gualano, Bruno
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Vienna Springer Vienna 01.07.2012; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Aging; Alanine; Analytical Chemistry; beta-alanine; beta-Alanine - administration & dosage; Biochemical Engineering; Biochemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Carnosine; Carnosine - metabolism; Controlled release; Dietary Supplements; Double-Blind Method; elderly; Exercise; Exercise Test; Female; females; Food intake; Gastrocnemius muscle; Humans; Life Sciences; Male; males; Middle Aged; Muscle, Skeletal - drug effects; Muscle, Skeletal - metabolism; Muscle, Skeletal - physiology; Muscles; Neurobiology; Older people; Original; Original Article; Physical activity; Physical Endurance - drug effects; Physical fitness; Placebos; Proteomics; Quality of life; Supplements; Elderly people; Ergogenic aid; Acidosis; Buffering capacity
• ISSN: 0939-4451; 1438-2199; 1438-2199
• DOI: 10.1007/s00726-011-1190-x

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of beta-alanine supplementation on exercise capacity and the muscle carnosine content in elderly subjects. Eighteen healthy elderly subjects (60–80 years, 10 female and 4 male) were randomly assigned to receive either beta-alanine (BA, n  = 12) or placebo (PL, n  = 6) for 12 weeks. The BA group received 3.2 g of beta-alanine per day (2 × 800 mg sustained-release Carnosyn™ tablets, given 2 times per day). The PL group received 2 × (2 × 800 mg) of a matched placebo. At baseline (PRE) and after 12 weeks (POST-12) of supplementation, assessments were made of the muscle carnosine content, anaerobic exercise capacity, muscle function, quality of life, physical activity and food intake. A significant increase in the muscle carnosine content of the gastrocnemius muscle was shown in the BA group (+85.4%) when compared with the PL group (+7.2%) ( p  = 0.004; ES: 1.21). The time-to-exhaustion in the constant-load submaximal test (i.e., TLIM) was significantly improved ( p  = 0.05; ES: 1.71) in the BA group (+36.5%) versus the PL group (+8.6%). Similarly, time-to-exhaustion in the incremental test was also significantly increased ( p  = 0.04; ES 1.03) following beta-alanine supplementation (+12.2%) when compared with placebo (+0.1%). Significant positive correlations were also shown between the relative change in the muscle carnosine content and the relative change in the time-to-exhaustion in the TLIM test ( r  = 0.62; p  = 0.01) and in the incremental test ( r  = 0.48; p  = 0.02). In summary, the current data indicate for the first time, that beta-alanine supplementation is effective in increasing the muscle carnosine content in healthy elderly subjects, with subsequent improvement in their exercise capacity.