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The effect of oral arginine hydrochloride on growth hormone levels, body composition, performance and biochemical parameters in male recreational runners

University of British Columbia

Many athletes ingest amino acids in the belief that these supplements will result in increased serum growth hormone (GH) levels, with an attendant anabolic effect and improvements in athletic performance. In order to test these hypotheses twelve moderately fit (average V02max 51.2 ml/kg/min) male recreational runners (average age 30.3 years) in a steady state of training ingested 6.0 gm arginine hydrochloride (AA) or lactose placebo (P) daily over two 7 week periods in a double blind cross-over experimental design. Comprehensive anthropometric, physiological and biochemical tests were performed before, at the cross over, and after the administration of the drugs. Data on GH response, performance and body composition was analyzed by MANOVA, and repeated ANOVAs were used for the biochemical data. Although GH levels were increased by the AA, and the GH response to AA was greater than that to P, the increases did not reach statistical significance (p=0.13). The GH response to AA was negatively related to % body fat (r=-0.60, p<0.05) and positively related to maximal oxygen uptake (r=0.69, p<0.05). Oral AA administration did not result in any significant changes in body composition, maximal oxygen uptake, aerobic endurance, anaerobic capacity, strength, or biochemical or hematological parameters. Five of the subjects reported subjective improvements in training while taking the AA. Arginine hydrochloride ingestion was associated with no significant change in plasma immunoreactive or bioactive growth hormone levels in the 12 male recreational athletes tested. No significant negative or positive biochemical, hematological, strength, body composition or performance changes were documented.

Text

2010-07-12

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/26364

Physical Education

University of British Columbia

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