Combined Effects of Caloric Restriction and Branched-Chain Amino Acid Supplementation on Body Composition and Exercise Performance in Elite Wrestlers (original) (raw)

Int J Sports Med 1997; 18(1): 47-55
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-972594

Nutrition

A. Mourier1 , 2 , A. X. Bigard1 , E. de Kerviler3 , B. Roger4 , H. Legrand3 , C. Y. Guezennec3

1Centre d'Études et de Recherches de Médecine Aérospatiale, Département de Physiologie Systémique, Brétigny-sur-orge, France
2Service d'Endocrinologie, Hôpital Saint-Louis, Paris, France
3Service de Radioltogie, Hôpital Saint-Louis, Paris, France
4Service de Radiologie, Hôpital Pitié-Salpétrière, Paris, France

Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
09 March 2007 (online)

Twenty-five competitive wrestlers restricted their caloric intake (28 kcal kg-1 · day-1) for 19 days, using a hypocaloiric control (hC, n = 6), hypocaloric high-protein (hHP, n = 7), hypocaloric high-branched-chain amino acid (hBCAA, n = 6), hypocaloric low-protein (hLP, n = 6) diet to determine the effects of caloric restriction on body composition and performances versus control diet (C. n = 6). Anthropometric parameters (weight, percent body fat) and adipose tissue (AT) distribution measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) obtained before and after diet, were compared. A significant highest body weight loss (-4 kg, p<0.05) and decrease in the percent of body fat (-17.3 %, p< 0.05) were observed for subjects of the hBCAA group. Subjects of the hBCAA group exhibited a significant reduction (- 34.4 %, p<0.05) in abdominal visceral adipose tissue (VAT). There was no change in aerobic (VO2max) (p>0.75) and anaerobic capacities (Wingate test) (p > 0.81), and in muscular strength (p :> 0.82). We conclude that under our experimental conditions, the combination of moderate energy restriction and BCAA supplementation induced significant and preferential losses of VAT, and allowed maintainance of a high level of performance.

Key words

Caloric restriction - branched-chain aminco acids - magnetic resonance imaging - body composition - aerobic and anaerobic parameters - muscular strength