Effects of Branched-Chain Amino Acid and Glutamine Supplementation on Angiogenic Factors and Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines after Acute Exercise in Adolescence Athletes

Abstract

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes in the concentration of blood angiogenic factors and pro-inflammatory cytokines during acute exercise after the administration of branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) and glutamine. METHODS All 7 adolescent male athletes performed 2000 m rowing exercise after the completion of each of three different 7-day treatments; non-treatment (CO); a total daily dose of BCAA 3.15 g (1.05g×3) (BCAA); or both a total daily dose of BCAA 3.15 g (1.05 g × 3) and glutamine 6 g (2 g × 3) (BC+GLU). There was a 30-day rest period between each treatment. After intake of amino acids for 7 days, the participants completed the rowing exercise on day 8, and their blood samples were collected (at resting state, Rest; immediately after exercise, Ex0; and 30 min after the exercise, Ex30) and were analyzed using ELISA. RESULTS The concentration of Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) increased in the BCAA and BC+GLU treatment groups compared to that at Rest in the CO group (p<0.05). Interleukin-6 (IL-6) increased at Ex0 compared to that at Rest in the CO and BCAA treatment groups (p<0.05), and significantly decreased at Ex30 compared to that at Ex0 in the BCAA treatment group (p<0.05). However, significant differences were not observed in BC+GLU at Ex0 and Ex30 compared to at Rest. IL-8 also significantly increased at Ex0 compared to at Rest, and significantly decreased at Ex30 compared to at Ex0 in CO (p<0.05). However, the blood IL-8 level in BCAA and BC+GLU were not altered by acute exercise. CONCLUSIONS This study suggested that the administrations of BCAA and/or glutamine have enough to induce increase of VEGF concentration and inhibited the increase of pro-inflammatory cytokines after acute exercise in adolescence athletes.

Keywords

• Ang-1
• BCAA
• FLRG
• Glutamine
• VEGF