Effect of 8-Week β-Alanine Supplementation on CRP, IL-6, Body Composition, and Bio-Motor Abilities in Elite Male Basketball Players

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of 8-week β-alanine supplementation on C-Reactive Protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), body composition, and bio-motor abilities in elite male basketball players. Twenty male basketball players (age: 23 + 0.6 years; body mass: 78.3 + 4.8 kg; height:185.3 + 5.4 cm, %BF, 15.2 ± 4.8) volunteered to participate in this study. They were divided into a β-alanine group (BG, N = 10) and a placebo group (PG, N = 10). All players were preparing for university competitions and had played for over five years. Players used 6.4 g/d of β-alanine in BG and maltodextrin in PG. The participants were involved in regular basketball training three months before the study. CRP, IL-6, body composition parameters, and bio-motor abilities were measured before starting the exercises and after completing the eight-week training period. The research findings showed a significant decrease in CRP and IL-6 and an increase in anaerobic peak power between the pre-test and post-test, as well as between BG and PG groups (p < 0.05). Although the other measured factors were a relative improvement compared to the pre-test and also compared to PG, these changes were not statistically significant (p < 0.05). Eight weeks of β-alanine supplementation ameliorated increases in IL-6 and CRP associated with in-season physical stressors in collegiate basketball players. These changes in pro-inflammatory cytokines suggest that β-alanine supplementation may be a useful nutritional strategy for immune regulation and can also improve anaerobic performance compared to PG.

The Effect of Acute Pre-Workout Supplement Ingestion on Basketball-Specific Performance of Well-Trained Athletes

“…The acute effect of a PWS (containing caffeine, β-alanine, creatine, citrulline malate and BCAAs) on agility performance in basketball players has never been examined. Caffeine [ 1 ] appears to be the primary reason for such an acute improvement since the other components employed in the present study’s PWS (for instance, creatine and β-alanine) seem to require a more extended administration period for significant effects to be observed [ 65 , 66 ]. Indeed, according to a recent meta-analysis, acute caffeine supplementation 60 min before exercise at a dosage of 3–6 mg per body mass induces significant, acute improvements in athletes’ agility performance [ 67 ].…”

Interleukin-15 Contributes to the Benefits of Βeta-Alanine Supplementation on the Performance of Elite Volleyball Players

“…Recent research by Turcu et al demonstrated that 8 weeks of Beta-Alanine supplementation reduced catabolic responses (CRP) and muscle damage indices (Lactate and CRP), and enhanced anaerobic peak power and performance (4). These findings suggest that Beta-Alanine's contribution to carnosine content modulates catabolic effects and enhances the performance of elite volleyball players (4).…”

“…Twenty-two male volleyball players from the Division 1 Volleyball League, aged 22 -28 years, were selected and randomly divided into two groups of 11 individuals: (1) A supplement group and (2) a control group. The supplement group received 6.4 g/day of Beta-Alanine in 8 servings of 800 mg each through oral administration for 4 weeks, while both groups continued their regular volleyball training three days a week (4,17), on even days. The control group engaged in the same training regimen but did not consume any supplements.…”

“…Leveraging supplements to enhance performance aligns with current trends (3). Beta-alanine recognized as a potential ergogenic aid, is utilized by competitive athletes to boost anabolic hormone production and enhance athletic performance (4). This amino acid, produced endogenously in the liver, can also be obtained from dietary sources like poultry and meat (5).…”

Identification of Perception Differences in Personality Factors and Autonomy by Sporting Age Category in Competitive Bodybuilders

“…The present study showed that as athletic experience and sporting age increase, the components of autonomy improve, which we consider to have an important role in the optimization of sports performance in bodybuilding. Numerous studies on autonomy have been carried out to identify autonomy factors depending on the type of sport practiced [99][100][101], the gender of athletes [102], the manifestation of self-determination and motivation in recreational and competitive athletes [103,104], and the level of sports skills in champions [52,103]. Research on personal autonomy in athletes has also focused on identifying intrinsic and extrinsic motivations for practicing a certain type of sport and improving sports performance [105][106][107][108].…”