Effects of Protein Supplementation, Combined With High-Intensity Functional Training, On Non-Protein Amino Acids – Correlation With Protein Amino Acids
Karpouzi C International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism Volume 34 (2024): Issue S1 (Feb 2024)
High-intensity functional training (HIFT) is an effective form of training that includes multijoint endurance and resistance exercises. Although protein supplementation has been extensively investigated in resistance training, there is limited evidence regarding its effectiveness in HIFT.
Hence, we examined the effects of protein supplementation, combined with HIFT, on body composition, performance and biochemical parameters in trained individuals. Here we present the results regarding plasma non-protein amino acids (citrulline, sarcosine and taurine) and their correlation with protein amino acids.
Thirty trained volunteers (20 men and 10 women), aged 23-55y, underwent 6 weeks of HIFT while receiving 0.6 g/kg/day of egg white protein, whey protein, or maltodextrin (placebo) in a single-blinded, randomized, triple-crossover and counterbalanced design, with 2 weeks of washout between supplements. Participants received isoenergetic dietary plans providing 1 g/kg/day of protein throughout the study. Before and after each intervention period, participants provided fasting venous blood samples at rest. Plasma amino acids were measured with liquid chromatography – mass spectrometry. Data were analyzed by 3-way ANOVA (supplement x time x sex), with repeated measures on supplement and time, and by Pearson’s correlation. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.
Regardless of supplementation, sarcosine decreased with training (from 5.4 ± 1.0 to 4.7 ± 1.1 μmol/L, mean ± SD, p < 0.001) and was higher in men than in women (5.2 ± 1.1 vs 4.7 ± 1.0 μmol/L). Additionally, sarcosine concentration was correlated with the concentration of its metabolite, glycine (r = 0.239, p = 0.001). No differences were found in citrulline or taurine, but citrulline concentration was correlated with the concentration of its metabolite, arginine (r = 0.213, p = 0.004).
In conclusion, short-term HIFT, but not protein supplementation, had an effect on the plasma concentration of the non-protein amino acid sarcosine, suggesting that training was a stronger stimulus than nutrition with regard to the parameters examined.