Important role of muscle carnosine in rowing performance
Randomised controlled trialHumansWith beta-alanine (carnosine precursor)
This study tested carnosine together with beta-alanine (carnosine precursor). Its results cannot be assigned to carnosine alone. More combination studies.
- Design
- Randomised controlled trial
- Subjects
- 18 elite Belgian rowers
- Dose used in the study
- 5 g/day beta-alanine
- Duration
- 7 weeks
- What was measured
- Muscle carnosine in soleus and gastrocnemius by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy; 2000 m rowing ergometer time.
What the authors reported
At baseline, 100, 500, 2,000 and 6,000 m speeds correlated positively with muscle carnosine. Beta-alanine raised muscle carnosine by 45.3% in soleus and 28.2% in gastrocnemius medialis. After supplementation the beta-alanine group was 4.3 s faster than placebo over 2000 m, compared with 0.3 s slower before supplementation (P = 0.07). The rise in muscle carnosine correlated with the performance change (r = 0.498, P = 0.042).
Limits of this study
Small elite sample; performance difference did not reach P < 0.05. Full text not read.
Source
PubMed 20671038 · doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00141.2010
Entry checked against PubMed abstract (E-utilities) on 2026-10-19. The dose shown is the dose the researchers used. It is not a recommendation. How to read this page.