J Appl Physiol. 2007 Aug 9; [Epub ahead of print]
Beta-alanine supplementation augments muscle carnosine content and attenuates fatigue during repeated isokinetic contraction bouts in trained sprinters.
Derave W, Ozdemir MS, Harris R, Pottier A, Reyngoudt H, Koppo K, Wise JA, Achten E.
Department of Movement and Sport Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Carnosine (beta-alanyl-L-histidine) is present in high concentrations in human skeletal muscle. The ingestion of beta-alanine, the rate-limiting precursor of carnosine, has been shown to elevate the muscle carnosine content. We aimed to investigate, using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (proton MRS), whether oral supplementation with beta-alanine during 4 weeks would elevate the calf muscle carnosine content and affect exercise performance in 400m sprint-trained competitive athletes. Fifteen male athletes participated in a placebo-controlled, double-blind study and were supplemented orally for 4 weeks with either 4.8g/day beta-alanine or placebo. Muscle carnosine concentration was quantified in soleus and gastrocnemius by proton MRS. Performance was evaluated by isokinetic testing during 5 bouts of 30 maximal voluntary knee extensions, by endurance during isometric contraction at 45% MVC and by the indoor 400m running time. beta-Alanine supplementation significantly increased the carnosine content in both the soleus (+47%) and gastrocnemius (+37%). In placebo, carnosine remained stable in soleus while a small and significant increase of +16% occurred in gastrocnemius. Dynamic knee extension torque during the fourth and fifth bout was significantly improved with beta-alanine but not with placebo. Isometric endurance and 400m race time were not affected by treatment. In conclusion, 1) proton MRS can be used to non-invasively quantify human muscle carnosine content; 2) muscle carnosine is increased by oral β-alanine supplementation in sprint-trained athletes; 3) carnosine loading slightly but significantly attenuated fatigue in repeated bouts of exhaustive dynamic contractions; 4) the increase in muscle carnosine did not improve isometric endurance or 400m race time. Key words: Buffer capacity, ergogenic supplements, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), exercise performance, track-and-field.
PMID: 17690198 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Dosages for the above study:
Staggered (400mg given every 2 hours)
Days 1- 4 = 2.4g/day
Days 4-8 = 3.6g/day
remainder of study = 4.6g/day
It looks as though b-alanine is turning into the next creatine. B-alanine, the rate liiting precursor to carnosine synthesis has many properties. My main area of interest is biogerontology and b-alanine fits in nicely here because carnosine is very effective at preventing oxidation and glycation and has anti-crosslinking properties that helps minimise the build up of b-amalyoid plaque as well as helping to prevent the crosslinking of other proteins including those in the skin. Crosslinking in the skin, by the way, is one of the main contributors to the decreased elasticity that we see with age.
Anyhow....here's another abstract if your interested in that side
Quote:
Life Sci. 2004 Jul 30;75(11):1379-89.
Anti-crosslinking properties of carnosine: significance of histidine.
Hobart LJ, Seibel I, Yeargans GS, Seidler NW.
Department of Biochemistry, University of Health Sciences, 1750 Independence Avenue, Kansas City, MO 64106-1453, USA.
Carnosine, a histidine-containing dipeptide, is a potential treatment for Alzheimer's disease. There is evidence that carnosine prevents oxidation and glycation, both of which contribute to the crosslinking of proteins; and protein crosslinking promotes beta-amyloid plaque formation. It was previously shown that carnosine has anti-crosslinking activity, but it is not known which of the chemical constituents are responsible. We tested the individual amino acids in carnosine (beta-alanine, histidine) as well as modified forms of histidine (alpha-acetyl-histidine, 1-methyl-histidine) and methylated carnosine (anserine) using glycation-induced crosslinking of cytosolic aspartate aminotransferase as our model. beta-Alanine showed anti-crosslinking activity but less than that of carnosine, suggesting that the beta-amino group is required in preventing protein crosslinking. Interestingly, histidine, which has both alpha-amino and imidazolium groups, was more effective than carnosine. Acetylation of histidine's alpha-amino group or methylation of its imidazolium group abolished anti-crosslinking activity. Furthermore, methylation of carnosine's imidazolium group decreased its anti-crosslinking activity. The results suggest that histidine is the representative structure for an anti-crosslinking agent, containing the necessary functional groups for optimal protection against crosslinking agents. We propose that the imidazolium group of histidine or carnosine may stabilize adducts formed at the primary amino group.
PMID: 15234195 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Beta-alanine supplementation augments muscle carnosine content and attenuates fatigue during repeated isokinetic contraction bouts in trained sprinters.
Derave W, Ozdemir MS, Harris R, Pottier A, Reyngoudt H, Koppo K, Wise JA, Achten E.
Department of Movement and Sport Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Carnosine (beta-alanyl-L-histidine) is present in high concentrations in human skeletal muscle. The ingestion of beta-alanine, the rate-limiting precursor of carnosine, has been shown to elevate the muscle carnosine content. We aimed to investigate, using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (proton MRS), whether oral supplementation with beta-alanine during 4 weeks would elevate the calf muscle carnosine content and affect exercise performance in 400m sprint-trained competitive athletes. Fifteen male athletes participated in a placebo-controlled, double-blind study and were supplemented orally for 4 weeks with either 4.8g/day beta-alanine or placebo. Muscle carnosine concentration was quantified in soleus and gastrocnemius by proton MRS. Performance was evaluated by isokinetic testing during 5 bouts of 30 maximal voluntary knee extensions, by endurance during isometric contraction at 45% MVC and by the indoor 400m running time. beta-Alanine supplementation significantly increased the carnosine content in both the soleus (+47%) and gastrocnemius (+37%). In placebo, carnosine remained stable in soleus while a small and significant increase of +16% occurred in gastrocnemius. Dynamic knee extension torque during the fourth and fifth bout was significantly improved with beta-alanine but not with placebo. Isometric endurance and 400m race time were not affected by treatment. In conclusion, 1) proton MRS can be used to non-invasively quantify human muscle carnosine content; 2) muscle carnosine is increased by oral β-alanine supplementation in sprint-trained athletes; 3) carnosine loading slightly but significantly attenuated fatigue in repeated bouts of exhaustive dynamic contractions; 4) the increase in muscle carnosine did not improve isometric endurance or 400m race time. Key words: Buffer capacity, ergogenic supplements, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), exercise performance, track-and-field.
PMID: 17690198 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Dosages for the above study:
Staggered (400mg given every 2 hours)
Days 1- 4 = 2.4g/day
Days 4-8 = 3.6g/day
remainder of study = 4.6g/day
It looks as though b-alanine is turning into the next creatine. B-alanine, the rate liiting precursor to carnosine synthesis has many properties. My main area of interest is biogerontology and b-alanine fits in nicely here because carnosine is very effective at preventing oxidation and glycation and has anti-crosslinking properties that helps minimise the build up of b-amalyoid plaque as well as helping to prevent the crosslinking of other proteins including those in the skin. Crosslinking in the skin, by the way, is one of the main contributors to the decreased elasticity that we see with age.
Anyhow....here's another abstract if your interested in that side
Quote:
Life Sci. 2004 Jul 30;75(11):1379-89.
Anti-crosslinking properties of carnosine: significance of histidine.
Hobart LJ, Seibel I, Yeargans GS, Seidler NW.
Department of Biochemistry, University of Health Sciences, 1750 Independence Avenue, Kansas City, MO 64106-1453, USA.
Carnosine, a histidine-containing dipeptide, is a potential treatment for Alzheimer's disease. There is evidence that carnosine prevents oxidation and glycation, both of which contribute to the crosslinking of proteins; and protein crosslinking promotes beta-amyloid plaque formation. It was previously shown that carnosine has anti-crosslinking activity, but it is not known which of the chemical constituents are responsible. We tested the individual amino acids in carnosine (beta-alanine, histidine) as well as modified forms of histidine (alpha-acetyl-histidine, 1-methyl-histidine) and methylated carnosine (anserine) using glycation-induced crosslinking of cytosolic aspartate aminotransferase as our model. beta-Alanine showed anti-crosslinking activity but less than that of carnosine, suggesting that the beta-amino group is required in preventing protein crosslinking. Interestingly, histidine, which has both alpha-amino and imidazolium groups, was more effective than carnosine. Acetylation of histidine's alpha-amino group or methylation of its imidazolium group abolished anti-crosslinking activity. Furthermore, methylation of carnosine's imidazolium group decreased its anti-crosslinking activity. The results suggest that histidine is the representative structure for an anti-crosslinking agent, containing the necessary functional groups for optimal protection against crosslinking agents. We propose that the imidazolium group of histidine or carnosine may stabilize adducts formed at the primary amino group.
PMID: 15234195 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
