Sports Drink Bolsters Aerobic Performance

EWING, N.J.Consuming a beverage rich in amino acids and creatine can enhance aerobic performance, increasing time to exhaustion during exercise, according to a new study (J Intl Soc Sports Nutr. ePub 15 Apr 2010;7:14. DOI:10.1186/1550-2783-7-14). The research team from the College of New Jersey recruited 15 healthy subjects (nine men and six women, 20.9 +/- 1 y) to undergo testing sessions administered in a randomized, double blind fashion. Subjects reported to the lab in a three-hour post-absorptive state and received the active intervention (marketed commercially as Amino Impact, from Koach Sport & Nutrition) or a taste-matched placebo. The tested product was a powder containing an energy matrix (2.05 g caffeine, taurine and glucuronolactone), amino acid matrix (7.9 g of L-leucine, L-isoleucine, L-valine, L-arginine and L-glutamine), 5 g of di-creatine citrate and 2.5 g of beta-alanine, mixed with 500 mL of water.

Subjects performed a treadmill run (70 percent VO2 max) to exhaustion during each lab visit, with mean VO2 measured during each exercise protocol. Subjects also completed visual analog scales for subjective measures of energy, focus and fatigue at exercise onset, 10 minutes into the run, and immediately post-exercise.

After reviewing the data, the team found subjects taking the active beverage had a significantly greater time to exhaustion, as well as significantly greater focus, energy and less fatigue at exercise onset. Also, there were significant differences between the groups for focus and energy at 10 minutes into exercise; no differences were seen between groups immediately post-exercise. The team concluded the sports formula could increase time to exhaustion during moderate intensity aerobic exercise, and improve subjective feelings of focus, energy and fatigue.