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Health News Archive 228 - Athletes
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Combo Arginine and Glutamine Improve Athletes' Training Efficiency

Researchers in Japan have determined that consuming the amino acids arginine and glutamine improves training efficiency in athletes.

The scientists studied the effects a mixture of amino acids that included the branched-chain amino acids, arginine and glutamine on muscle function, fatigue, and recovery in exercising athletes. The subjects consumed the supplement at several daily dose levels for 10, 30, and 90 days.

The researchers noted that the subjects consuming the amino acids experienced a quicker recovery from the muscle fatigue that followed eccentric exercise training. In subjects consuming either 2.2, 4.4, or 6.6 grams of the amino acids per day for 1 month, the highest dose was linked to increased blood oxygen-carrying capacity and decreased muscle damage at the end of the trial. When elite rugby players consumed 7.2 grams per day of the amino acid mixture for 90 days during training, analysis indicated improvements in the oxygen-carrying capacity of their blood.

Writing in the Journal of Nutrition, February 2006, the researchers concluded, “Together, the studies suggest that the amino acid supplement contributed to an improvement in training efficiency through positive effects on muscle integrity and hematopoiesis [the production and development of blood cells].”

Reference: Ohtani M, Sugita M, Maruyama K. Amino Acid mixture improves training efficiency in athletes. J Nutr. 2006 Feb;136(2):538S-43S