Branched-Chain Amino Acid Supplementation Before Squat Exercise and Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness

Abstract

The authors examined the effect of branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) supplementation on squat-exercise-induced delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) using 12 young, healthy, untrained female participants. The experiment was conducted with a crossover double-blind design. In the morning on the exercise-session day, the participants ingested either BCAA (isoleucine:leucine:valine = 1:2.3:1.2) or dextrin at 100 mg/kg body weight before the squat exercise, which consisted of 7 sets of 20 squats/set with 3-min intervals between sets. DOMS showed a peak on Days 2 and 3 in both trials, but the level of soreness was significantly lower in the BCAA trial than in the placebo. Leg-muscle force during maximal voluntary isometric contractions was measured 2 d after exercise (Day 3), and the BCAA supplementation suppressed the muscle-force decrease (to ~80% of the value recorded under the control conditions) observed in the placebo trial. Plasma BCAA concentrations, which decreased after exercise in the placebo trial, were markedly elevated during the 2 hr postexercise in the BCAA trial. Serum myoglobin concentration was increased by exercise in the placebo but not in the BCAA trial. The concentration of plasma elastase as an index of neutrophil activation appeared to increase after the squat exercise in both trials, but the change in the elastase level was significant only in the placebo trial. These results suggest that muscle damage may be suppressed by BCAA supplementation.

The Acute Effects Different Quantities of Branched-Chain Amino Acids Have On Recovery of Muscle Function

“…These effects were in accordance with the experimental hypotheses. The findings support previous literature suggesting BCAA can be supplemented to relieve the negative effects of muscle damaging exercise [13,23] and more specifically damaging resistance exercise [24][25][26].…”

“…The ST was designed to replicate the demands of traditionally practiced athletic strength sessions, rather than predominantly focus on inducing extreme levels of EIMD and subsequent decrements in functional performance and elevations in markers of muscle damage [16,27]. Repetitive high force, eccentric muscle actions, as used by Howatson et al, [2], result in amplified EIMD, as witnessed by the vast decrements in maximal voluntary contraction (~20-27%) [5,26] and increments in RMS across groups [2,29]. This is relevant, as contemporary research has shown that perceptible effects on muscle function, created through prophylactic interventions such as BCAA ingestion, are likely to be more noticeable under conditions of greater muscle damage [30].…”

Nutritional Interventions as Potential Strategy to Minimize Exercise-Induced Muscle Injuries in Sports

“…A decrease in flexed muscle soreness was observed in supplemented compared with placebo group at 48 h and 72 h post exercise whereas the degree of force loss and the fluctuation of blood markers of muscle damage appeared unchanged between groups [186]. Similar results were obtained in female untrained young subjects by Shimomura et al [187] examining the effects of BCAA supplementation on squat-exercise-induced DOMS. In this report the participants ingested either BCAA (isoleucine:leucine:valine = 1:2.3:1.2) or dextrin at 100 mg/kg body weight just before the squat exercise consisting of 7 sets of 20 squats/set with 3-min intervals between sets.…”

“…Interestingly three day post exercise the force decrease observed in the placebo appeared to be prevented by BCAA supplementation. Accordingly plasma myoglobin and elastase (index of neutrophil activation) appeared to be increased by exercise in the placebo but not in the BCAA group [187].…”

Effects of protein and amino acid supplementation on muscle protein metabolism in relation to exercise

“…Delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS), which is most strongly felt at 24 to 72 h after exercise, is caused by non-routine or strenuous exercise. The effects of BCAA supplementation on squat exercise-induced DOMS has been examined using untrained young women [29][30][31] ; and these studies demonstrated that BCAA supplementation before exercise significantly reduces the level of DOMS. This effect has also been demonstrated in male subjects 32) .…”