Short-Duration Beta-Alanine Supplementation Did Not Prevent the Detrimental Effects of an Intense Preparatory Period on Exercise Capacity in Top-Level Female Footballers

Author(s):Show less -

Ribeiro, Rafael ^[1] ; Duarte, Breno ^[1] ; da Silva, Andre Guedes ^[1] ; Ramos, Guilherme Passos ^[2] ; Picanco, Andreia Rossi ^[2] ; Penna, Eduardo Macedo ^[3] ; Coswig, Victor ^[3] ; Barbalho, Matheus ^[4] ; Gentil, Paulo ^[4] ; Gualano, Bruno ^[1] ; Saunders, Bryan ^{[5, 1]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Med FMUSP, Sch Phys Educ & Sport, Appl Physiol & Nutr Res Grp, Rheumatol Div, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Confederacao Brasileira Futebol, Rio De Janeiro - Brazil

^[3] Fed Univ Para, Phys Educ, Campus Castanhal, Castanhal - Brazil

^[4] Univ Fed Goias, Phys Educ & Dance Inst, Goiania, Go - Brazil

^[5] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Med FMUSP, Inst Orthopaed & Traumatol, Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: FRONTIERS IN NUTRITION; v. 7, APR 21 2020.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

Purpose: High-intensity activity is an important aspect of football performance during competitive match play. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of beta-alanine supplementation throughout a short-duration intense football-specific training period prior to an international competition on measures of high-intensity running performance. Methods: Twenty-four elite international U20 female footballers (age 18 +/- 1 y, height 1.67 +/- 0.07 m, body mass 62.7 +/- 7.4 kg) volunteered to perform the YoYo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 1 (YoYo IR1), the Running Anaerobic Sprint Test (RAST) and a 20-m maximal sprint test on two separate occasions, separated by 3 weeks of training and supplementation. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either 6.4 g center dot day(-1) sustained-release beta-alanine (BA, N = 12) or an equivalent dose of maltodextrin (placebo, PL, N = 12) throughout a 3-week standardized training camp. Results: There was a main effect of group (P = 0.05) and time (P = 0.004) on YoYo IR1; overall values were lower in PL and distance covered was lower post- vs. pre-supplementation. There was no group x time interaction (P = 0.07). There was an effect of sprint number for RAST, but no further main effects and there were no effect for the 20-m sprint. Conclusions: Top-level female footballers involved in this intense 3-week training period prior to a competition worsened their high-intensity intermittent exercise capacity, and this negative result was not attenuated by a short-duration BA supplementation protocol throughout the same period. Further work is necessary to elucidate whether adapted training protocols and BA dosing regimens could lead to better results. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 19/06140-5 - Acute effects of b-alanine intake on regulatory mechanisms of muscle carnosine content
• Grantee: Breno Duarte Costa
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• FAPESP's process: 16/50438-0 - Nutritional suplementation and exercise to optimize exercise performance: focus on individual responses and a step towards personalized sports nutrition
• Grantee: Bryan Saunders
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants
• FAPESP's process: 17/04973-4 - Nutritional supplementation and exercise to optimise exercise performance: focus on individual responses and a step towards personalized sports nutrition
• Grantee: Bryan Saunders
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Young Researchers