ß-Alanine supplementation improves fractional anisotropy scores in the hippocampus and amygdala in 60-80-year-old men and women.

Recently, ß-alanine (BA) supplementation was shown to improve cognitive function in older adults with decreased cognitive function. Mechanisms supporting these improvements have not been well defined. This study examined the effects of 10-weeks of BA supplementation on changes in circulating brain inflammatory markers, brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and brain morphology. Twenty participants were initially randomized into BA (2.4 g·d-1) or placebo (PL) groups. At each testing session, participants provided a resting blood sample and completed the Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) test and magnetic resonance imaging, which included diffusion tensor imaging to assess brain tissue integrity. Only participants that scored at or below normal for the MoCA assessment were analyzed (6 BA and 4 PL). The Mann-Whitney U test was used to examine Δ (POST-PRE) differences between the groups. No differences in Δ scores were noted in any blood marker (BDNF, CRP, TNF-α and GFAP). Changes in fractional anisotropy scores were significantly greater for BA than PL in the right hippocampus (p = 0.033) and the left amygdala (p = 0.05). No other differences were noted. The results provide a potential mechanism of how BA supplementation may improve cognitive function as reflected by improved tissue integrity within the hippocampus and amygdala.

Early Life Androgen Administration Attenuates Aging Related Declines in Muscle Protein Synthesis.

PURPOSE: This study examined the acute and long-term effects of nandrolone decanoate (ND) on fractional synthetic rates (FSR). METHODS: Male C57BL/6 mice were randomized into ND ( n = 20) or sham ( n = 20) groups. ND injections (10 g·kg -1 ·wk -1 ) started at 7 months of ages and continued for 6 wk. Ten animals from each group were randomly separated and examined 1 wk following drug cessation. The remaining animals were examined at 16 months of age. Animals were injected IP with 1.5 mL of deuterated water 24 h before euthanasia. The kidney, liver, heart, gastrocnemius, and soleus were extracted. Samples were analyzed for deuterated alanine enrichment in the bound protein and intracellular fraction by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry to measure estimated FSR (fraction/day (F/D)) of mixed tissue. RESULTS: One-way ANOVA, with treatment and age as fixed factors, indicated that kidney FSR was greater ( P = 0.027) in ND (0.41 ± 0.02 F/D) than sham (0.36 ± 0.014F/D) and higher ( P = 0.003) in young (0.42 ± 0.2 F/D) than old (0.35 ± 0.01 F/D). Liver and heart FSR values were greater ( P ≤ 0.001) in young (0.79 ± 0.06 F/D and 0.13 ± 0.01 F/D, respectively) compared with old (0.40 ± 0.01 F/D and 0.09 ± 0.01 F/D, respectively), but not between ND and sham. Gastrocnemius FSR was ( P ≤ 0.001) greater in young (0.06 ± 0.01 F/D) compared with old (0.03 ± 0.002 F/D), and greater ( P = 0.006) in ND (0.05 ± 0.01 F/D) compared with sham (0.04 ± 0.003 F/D). Soleus FSR rates were greater ( P = 0.050) in young (0.13 ± 0.01 F/D) compared with old (0.11 ± 0.003 F/D), but not between ND (0.12 ± 0.01 F/D) and sham (0.12 ± 0.01 F/D). Old animals who had received ND displayed elevated FSR in the gastrocnemius ( P = 0.054) and soleus ( P = 0.024). CONCLUSIONS: ND use in young adult animals appeared to maintain long-term elevations in FSR in muscle during aging.

Role of ß-Alanine Supplementation on Cognitive Function, Mood, and Physical Function in Older Adults; Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Study.

This study investigated 10 weeks of ß-alanine (BA) supplementation on changes in cognitive function, mood, and physical performance in 100 older adults (70.6 ± 8.7 y). Participants were randomized into a BA (2.4 g·d-1) or placebo (PL) group. Testing occurred prior to supplementation (PRE), at the midpoint (MID), and at week-10 (POST). Participants completed cognitive function assessments, including the Montreal cognitive assessment (MOCA) and the Stroop pattern recognition test, at each testing session. Behavioral questionnaires [i.e., the profile of mood states, geriatric depression scale (GDS), and geriatric anxiety scale (GAS)] and physical function assessments (grip strength and timed sit-to-stand) were also conducted. No difference between groups was noted in MoCA scores (p = 0.19). However, when examining participants whose MOCA scores at PRE were at or below normal (i.e., ≤26), participants in BA experienced significant improvements in MOCA scores at MID (13.6%, p = 0.009) and POST (11.8%, p = 0.016), compared to PL. No differences were noted in mood scores, GAS, or any of the physical performance measures. A significant decrease was observed in the GDS for participants consuming BA but not in PL. Results suggested that BA supplementation can improve cognitive function in older adults whose cognitive function at baseline was at or below normal and possibly reduce depression scores.

Examination of Amorphous Calcium Carbonate on the Inflammatory and Muscle Damage Response in Experienced Resistance Trained Individuals.

The effect of 3 weeks of amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) supplementation (2000 mg per day) was examined on the recovery response to resistance exercise. Thirty men were randomized into a supplement (ACC) or placebo (PL) group. Following supplementation, participants performed six sets of 10 repetitions in the bench press (BP) and incline BP exercises, using 80% of maximal strength. Participants returned 24 (T4) and 48 h (T5) later and performed six sets of the BP exercise. Significant decreases in the number of repetitions (p < 0.001), peak power (p < 0.001), and mean power (p = 0.009) were noted over time, but no significant interactions were observed (p > 0.05). Magnitude-based inference analysis (MBI) indicated that the change in repetitions was possibly beneficial for ACC at T4 and likely beneficial at T5. No significant interaction was noted for general soreness (p = 0.452), but a trend toward an interaction was observed in upper body soreness (p = 0.089). Confidence intervals for mean percent change scores indicated significant differences between the groups at T4 and T5, and MBI analysis indicated that ACC was very likely or likely to be beneficial for reducing soreness at those time points. In conclusion, ACC supplementation may have a potential beneficial effect in attenuating the decline in performance, which is possibly due to the carbonate component.