Combination of aerobic exercise and an arginine, alanine, and phenylalanine mixture increases fat mobilization and ketone body synthesis

Figures & data

Fig. 1. Study design: Study schedule (A) and schedule on experimental trial days (Visit 2 and Visit 3; B).

Table 1. Cardiorespiratory responses of participants during rest, exercise, and post-exercise after consuming the treatment.

	Rest (0–30 min)			Exercise (>30–90 min)			Post-exercise (>90–150 min)
	A-mix	Placebo	p*	A-mix	Placebo	p*	A-mix	Placebo	p*
HR (bpm)	58 ± 4	72 ± 25	.075	131 ± 9	126 ± 15	.40	81 ± 9	77 ± 5	.18
RER	0.78 ± 0.04	0.82 ± 0.06	.038	0.92 ± 0.03	0.92 ± 0.04	.76	0.81 ± 0.04	0.81 ± 0.04	.43
Carbohydrate oxidation (g/min)	0.08 ± 0.03	0.10 ± 0.03	.086	1.60 ± 0.25	1.79 ± 0.32	.041	0.23 ± 0.06	0.22 ± 0.06	.52
Fat oxidation (g/min)	0.08 ± 0.02	0.07 ± 0.02	.44	0.19 ± 0.06	0.16 ± 0.09	.35	0.10 ± 0.03	0.08 ± 0.02	.064
Energy expenditure (kcal)	30 ± 2	31 ± 4	.51	462 ± 43	489 ± 61	.092	107 ± 23	94 ± 9	.17

Note: Values are mean ± SD (n = 10).

* p value for the paired-sample t test if data were normally distributed and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test if not.

Fig. 2. Concentrations of biochemicals assessed during the experimental trials: glycerol (A), FFAs (B), total ketone bodies (C), glucose (D), and lactate (E).

Notes: Values are M ± SD (n = 10). A = A-mix treatment; FFAs = free fatty acids; P = placebo treatment.

Table 2. Effects of amino acid mixture on the AUC for biochemical parameters.

	Rest (0–30 min)			Exercise (>30–90 min)			Recovery (>90–150 min)
	A-mix	Placebo	p*	A-mix	Placebo	p*	A-mix	Placebo	p*
Glycerol (min mg/L)	167 ± 46	155 ± 47	.39	729 ± 320	599 ± 234	.11	760 ± 379	552 ± 159	.047
FFAs (min mEq/L)	14.1 ± 4.9	13.1 ± 4.3	.49	36.5 ± 16.7	29.0 ± 11.2	.058	60.2 ± 31.4	43.8 ± 11.2	.074
Total ketone bodies (min mmol/L)	3.91 ± 3.79	2.60 ± 3.87	.24	9.36 ± 7.93	4.29 ± 5.44	.010	34.9 ± 29.4	17.1 ± 16.2	.022
Glucose (min g/L)	23.5 ± 1.8	25.0 ± 1.5	.049	45.0 ± 4.9	46.7 ± 3.2	.27	42.1 ± 7.4	46.0 ± 3.0	.039
Lactate (min g/L)	2.97 ± 0.96	3.25 ± 0.68	.41	9.81 ± 1.87	10.7 ± 3.1	.42	6.56 ± 1.60	6.92 ± 1.34	.59

Notes: FFA = free fatty acids.

Values are mean ± SD (n = 10).

* p value for the paired-sample t test if data were normally distributed and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test if not.

Fig. 3. Concentrations of circulating hormones during the experimental trials: glucagon (A), insulin (B), adrenalin (C), noradrenalin (D), growth hormone (E), and cortisol (F).

Notes: Values are M ± SD (n = 10). A = A-mix treatment; P = placebo treatment.

Table 3. Effects of amino acid mixture on the AUC for circulating hormones.

	Rest (0–30 min)			Exercise (>30–90 min)			Recovery (>90–150 min)
	A-mix	Placebo	p*	A-mix	Placebo	p*	A-mix	Placebo	p*
Glucagon (min μg/L)	3.20 ± 0.34	3.10 ± 0.29	.19	7.19 ± 1.01	6.87 ± 1.02	.36	7.97 ± 1.24	7.15 ± 0.80	.042
Insulin (min mU/L)	57.5 ± 32.1	80.9 ± 78.9	.36	98.3 ± 63.1	102.3 ± 49.7	.63	99.5 ± 95.7	106.8 ± 64.8	.56
Adrenalin (min μg/L)	1.16 ± 0.55	1.20 ± 0.47	1.0	7.79 ± 3.60	6.43 ± 2.46	.25	7.50 ± 6.16	4.66 ± 1.78	.31
Noradrenalin (min μg/L)	11.3 ± 3.1	10.9 ± 2.8	.54	51.2 ± 13.3	49.0 ± 9.5	.45	30.5 ± 7.3	29.6 ± 5.6	.46
Growth hormone (min μg/L)	21.7 ± 25.4	28.5 ± 31.4	.52	343 ± 191	345 ± 224	.89	248 ± 154	195 ± 97	.19
Cortisol (min mg/L)	3.74 ± 1.04	3.22 ± 1.37	.12	7.87 ± 1.62	7.25 ± 1.93	.52	8.19 ± 3.73	6.66 ± 1.39	.51

Note: Values are mean ± SD (n = 10).

* p value for the paired-sample t test if data were normally distributed and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test if not.