Vegetarianism, female gender and increasing age, but not CNDP1 genotype, are associated with reduced muscle carnosine levels in humans
Observational studyHumans
- Design
- Observational study
- Subjects
- 149 healthy subjects (94 men, of whom 12 vegetarians; 55 women)
- Dose used in the study
- not applicable (no supplement given)
- Duration
- cross-sectional
- What was measured
- Muscle carnosine in soleus, gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy; CNDP1 genotype, plasma carnosinase activity and testosterone from blood.
What the authors reported
The authors report that men had higher muscle carnosine than women (36% higher in soleus, 28% in gastrocnemius, 82% in tibialis anterior). Soleus carnosine fell with age. Vegetarians had 26% lower gastrocnemius carnosine than omnivores, while omnivores with high versus low beta-alanine intake did not differ. Muscle carnosine was not related to CNDP1 polymorphism, plasma carnosinase activity or circulating testosterone.
Limits of this study
Cross-sectional design; only 12 vegetarians; muscle carnosine measured by spectroscopy rather than biopsy.
Source
PubMed 20865290 · doi:10.1007/s00726-010-0749-2
Entry checked against abstract (journal site, Springer) on 2026-10-11. The dose shown is the dose the researchers used. It is not a recommendation. How to read this page.