Effects of β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate free acid and cold water immersion on post-exercise markers of muscle damage.

Gonzalez, Adam; Stout, Jeffrey; Jajtner, Adam; Townsend, Jeremy; Wells, Adam; Beyer, Kyle; Boone, Carleigh; Pruna, Gabriel; Mangine, Gerald; Scanlon, Tyler; Bohner, Jonathan; Oliveira, Leonardo; Fragala, Maren; Hoffman, Jay

The aim of the current study was to examine the effects of cold water immersion (CWI) with and without the free acid form of β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB-FA) on markers of muscle damage following acute lower body resistance exercise. Forty recreationally resistance-trained men (22.3 ± 2.4 years) were randomly divided into one of the four groups: (1) Placebo (PL); (2) HMB-FA; (3) HMB-FA-CWI; (4) PL-CWI. HMB-FA groups ingested 3 g day and CWI groups submersed their lower body into 10-12 °C water for 10-min post-exercise. No differences between groups were observed for CK; however, PL-CWI had significantly greater elevations in myoglobin 30-min post-exercise compared to HMB-FA ( p = 0.009) and PL ( p = 0.005), and HMB-FA-CWI was significantly greater than HMB-FA ( p = 0.046) and PL ( p = 0.028). No differences between groups were observed for IL-6 and IL-10, although CRP was significantly greater 24-h post-exercise for PL-CWI compared to HMB-FA-CWI ( p = 0.02) and HMB-FA ( p = 0.046). Only HMB-FA-CWI showed significantly ( p = 0.02) greater improvements in average power per repetition. CWI appeared to elevate myoglobin compared to other groups, while HMB-FA may have attenuated the increase in CRP when combined with CWI. Nevertheless, HMB-FA or CWI treatments did not appear to provide benefit over PL for recovery. Instead, the combination of CWI and HMB-FA improved performance recovery compared to other groups.

BUTYRATES; EXERCISE tolerance; MYOGLOBIN; WATER immersion; BIOMARKERS; PERFORMANCE evaluation; THERAPEUTICS

Amino Acids, 2014, Vol 46, Issue 6, p1501

0939-4451

Academic Journal

10.1007/s00726-014-1722-2