Effect of beta-alanine supplementation on repeated sprint performance during the Loughborough Intermittent Shuttle Test

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of β-alanine supplementation on repeated sprint performance during an intermittent exercise protocol designed to replicate games play. Sixteen elite and twenty non-elite game players performed the Loughborough Intermittent Shuttle Test (LIST) on two separate occasions. Trials were separated by 4 weeks of supplementation with either β-alanine (BA) or maltodextrin (MD). There was no deterioration in sprint times from Set 1 to Set 6 of the LIST in either group prior to supplementation (elite: P=0.92; non-elite: P=0.12). Neither BA nor MD supplementation affected sprint times. Blood lactate concentrations were elevated during exercise in both groups, with no effect of supplementation. β-Alanine supplementation did not significantly improve sprint performance during the LIST. Neither group showed a performance decrement prior to supplementation, which might have masked any benefit from increased muscle buffering capacity due to β-alanine supplementation.

β–alanine: performance effects, usage and side effects

“…However, compared to placebo, there were no differences in plasma lactate when β-alanine was supplemented alone or in combination with NaHCO3 following either the RSA or CCT110% tests. These results conform to the majority of previous studies that have shown no effect of β-alanine on peak lactate accumulation [52,109,146,160,162,163,175], however some studies have suggested otherwise [133,276].…”

“…Another possible explanation for there being no change between supplementation groups in the present study may be that the current SIT program would likely have produced increased skeletal muscle buffering capacity in both groups [146]. The capacity to buffer H + ions has been associated with sprint-type activity where H + ion production and accumulation is excessive [180].…”

“…When multiple repeated sprints were interspersed with walking and jogging to replicate a team sport game demands, four weeks consumption of 6.4 g·day -1 β-alanine showed no additional benefit in ten elite male hockey players and eight non-elite male participants. Despite completing 66 sprints throughout the Loughborough Intermittent Shuttle Test, participants showed no deterioration in performance prior to supplementation which may have masked the benefits of any increased muscle buffer capacity due to an increase in M-Carn levels [146].…”

“…Measures of exercise capacity are improved by an average of 2.8% following between 21 -90 days of β-alanine supplementation, with the greatest effect observed in tests lasting between 1 -4 minutes in duration [2]. The influence of β-alanine supplementation on repeatedsprint ability (RSA) is less consistent [107,132,146,238]. [172] for recent reviews.…”

“…Results have been mixed, with additive benefits reported for upper-body intermittent performance [133] and small non-significant but likely increases in performance reported in cycle capacity [116,162], 2000m rowing [242] plus 100 m and 200m swimming [120]. Other studies have reported no additive benefit for cycle capacity [4] and RSA during cycling and running [4,146,238]. However, these studies were limited by small sample sizes and did not include any structured training during the supplementation period.…”