None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Carnosine naturally exists in skeletal muscle. Elevating the carnosine content in skeletal muscle can improve performance in short-duration, high-intensity exercise, by increasing intracellular pH buffering capacity and improving the contractile ability of skeletal muscle. Beta-alanine supplementation is the most common method to increase muscle carnosine but requires a loading phase of approximately four weeks. Topical carnosine (a carnosine gel applied to the skin) is an alternative method to increase muscle carnosine content and does not require a loading phase. We aim to investigate the effect of topical carnosine on 1,500 m rowing ergometer performance in club-level rowers. We expect the participants to have a small improvement in 1,500 m performance when topical carnosine is used.
Interventions
This study will use a crossover design. Carnosine is an intracellular pH buffer that naturally exists in skeletal muscle. Exercise performance can be improved by increasing muscle carnosine content via beta-alanine supplementation. A commercially available product, Lactigo, is a topical gel containing carnosine that claims to increase muscle carnosine and improve performance. Lactigo is the topical carnosine to be used in this study. 45 minutes before the time trial begins, each participant will
This study will use a crossover design. Carnosine is an intracellular pH buffer that naturally exists in skeletal muscle. Exercise performance can be improved by increasing muscle carnosine content via beta-alanine supplementation. A commercially available product, Lactigo, is a topical gel containing carnosine that claims to increase muscle carnosine and improve performance. Lactigo is the topical carnosine to be used in this study. 45 minutes before the time trial begins, each participant will apply approximately 10 mL of topical carnosine to their arms and legs and the researcher will apply the gel to the participant's back. The topical carnosine will be kept in an unidentifiable bottle so the researcher and participant are unaware of which gel is being used (double-blind). The effectiveness of the topical carnosine will be assessed using a 1,500 m rowing ergometer time trial, where the performance measure used will be the total time to row 1,500 m. All participants will complete two time trials in total. The two time trials will be separated by one week to allow for washout. Adherence to the protocol will be assessed using the Borg 20-point rated perceived exertion (RPE) scale to ensure participants give maximal effort on each time trial. Participants will be asked to provide their RPE within 30 seconds of finishing each time trial. An RPE value of 19 or 20 will be required to say that maximal effort was given.
Sponsors
University of Waikato
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Crossover
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Blinded (masking used) (Subject, Caregiver)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
17 Years to 30 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
Sixteen club-level rowers will be recruited for this study. Volunteers will be eligible if they are an experienced rower ( > 3 years rowing) aged 17 – 30 years, and have not used beta-alanine supplementation within 30 days of the first testing session. Both males and females are eligible to take part in this study.
Exclusion criteria
Rowers will be excluded if they have used beta-alanine supplementation within 30 days of the first trial.
Outcome results
None listed