Chronic (24 weeks) Beta-alanine Supplementation Does Not Affect Muscle Taurine Or Blood Clinical Chemistry: 2385 Board #221 June 1 11 00 AM - 12 30 PM

Abstract

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of chronic beta-alanine (BA) supplementation on muscle taurine content, blood clinical markers and sensory side-effects. METHODS: Twenty-five healthy male participants (age 27 ± 4 y, height 1.75 ± 0.09 m, body mass 78.9 ± 11.7 kg) were supplemented with 6.4 g·day-1 of sustained release BA (N = 16; CarnoSynTM, NAI, USA) or placebo (PL; N = 9; maltodextrin) for 24 weeks. Muscle biopsies of the m. vastus lateralis were taken at 0, 12 and 24 weeks and analysed for taurine content using high-performance liquid chromatography. Resting venous blood samples were taken in the supine position every 4 weeks and analysed for markers of renal, hepatic and muscle function (aspartate transaminase; alanine aminotransferase; alkaline phosphatase; lactate dehydrogenase; albumin; globulin; creatinine; estimated glomerular filtration rate and creatine kinase). Data were analysed using mixed model ANOVA. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in taurine content at Week 0 (BA: 33.67 ± 8.18 mmol·kg-1dm, PL: 27.75 ± 4.86 mmol·kg-1dm; p = 0.21). There was a significant main effect of group (p = 0.04) on muscle taurine, with overall lower values in PL, although there was no main effect of time or interaction effect (both p > 0.05; BA, Week 12: 35.93 ± 8.79 mmol·kg-1dm and Week 24: 35.42 ± 6.16 mmol·kg-1dm; PL, Week 12: 27.67 ± 4.75 mmol·kg-1dm and Week 24: 31.99 ± 5.60 mmol·kg-1dm). There was no effect of treatment, time or any interaction effects on any blo…