Abstract
Background/Objectives:
Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and purine nucleotide cycle (PNC) are both associated with energy metabolism. The purpose of this study was to explore the influences of BCAA supplementation on the PNC activity of male athletes in response to a bout of endurance running exercise.
Subjects/Methods:
Twelve male athletes (20.3±1.4 years) participated in the study. Each of the athletes received 12 g of a BCAA supplement (leucine 54%, isoleucine 19% and valine 27%) per day during the study. They performed two identical 60-min running exercises (65–70% maximum heart rate reserved) before and after receiving the BCAA supplements for 15 days. In addition to body composition measurement, plasma and urinary samples were also collected. Plasma samples were examined for the concentrations of glucose, lactate, BCAAs, alanine, glutamine, aspartate, hypoxanthine and uric acid. Urinary samples were examined for the concentrations of urea nitrogen, hydroxyproline, 3-methylhistidine and creatinine.
Results:
Body composition and the concentrations of urinary metabolites were not affected by BCAA supplementation, whereas clearance of plasma lactate after recovery from exercise was enhanced by BCAA supplementation (P<0.05). Plasma aspartate concentration was increased (P<0.05), whereas plasma glutamine, hypoxanthine and uric acid concentrations were decreased (P<0.05) by BCAA supplementation.
Conclusions:
The findings suggest that BCAA supplements not only provided additional substrate to meet the energy demands of the athletes during endurance exercise but also reduced their PNC activity, and subsequently decreased uric acid production and reduced the incidence of gout in a person engaging in endurance exercise.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 12 print issues and online access
$259.00 per year
only $21.58 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Tang FC . Plasma branched-chain amino acid changes during energetic stress. Nutr Sci J 1996; 21: 27–36.
Williams MH . Protein: the tissue builder. In: Nutrition for Health, Fitness & Sport, 8th edn. McGraw-Hill: New York, USA, 2007, pp 193–236.
Harper AE, Block KP, Cree TC . Branched-chain amino acids: nutrition and metabolic interrelationships. In: Arnal M, Pion R, Bonin D (eds). Protein Metabolism and Nutrition. 4th International Symposium: Paris, France, 1983; pp 159–181.
Ikeda T, Aizawa J, Nagasawa H, Gomi I, Kugota H, Nanjo K et al. Effects and feasibility of exercise therapy combined with branched-chain amino acid supplementation on muscle strengthening in frail and pre-frail elderly people requiring long-term care: a crossover trail. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 2016; 41: 438–445.
Blomstrand E, Newsholme EA . Effect of branched-chain amino acid supplementation on the exercise-induced change in aromatic amino acid concentration in human muscle. Acta Physiol Scand 1992; 146: 293–298.
MacLean DA, Graham TE, Saltin B . Branched-chain amino acids augment ammonia metabolism while attenuation protein breakdown during exercise. Am J Physiol 1994; 267: E1010–E1022.
Negro M, Giardina S, Marzani B, Marzatico F . Branched-chain amino acid supplementation does not enhance athletic performance but affects muscle recovery and the immune system. J Sports Med Physical Fitness 2008; 48: 347–351.
Shimomura Y, Murakami T, Nakai N, Nagasaki M, Harris RA . Exercise promotes BCAA catabolism: effects of BCAA supplementation on skeletal muscle during exercise. J Nutr 2004; 134: 1583S–1587S.
Shimomura Y, Inaguma A, Watanabe S, Yamamoto Y, Muramatsu Y, Bajotto G et al. Branched-chain amino acid supplementation before squat exercise and delayed-onset muscle soreness. Int J Sport Nutr Exer Metab 2010; 20: 236–244.
Tang FC, Lee CW, Hsieh SY . Physiological and performance effects of adding branched-chain amino acids to a high carbohydrate formula diet during exercise. Nutr Sci J 1997; 22: 361–371.
Tang FC . Influence of branched-chain amino acid supplementation on urinary protein metabolite concentrations after swimming. J Am Coll Nutr 2006; 25: 188–194.
Arinze IJ . Facilitating understanding of the purine nucleotide cycle and the one-carbon pool: part I: the purine nucleotide cycle. Biochem Mol Biol Edu 2005; 33: 165–168.
Islam MM, Nautiyal M, Wynn RM, Mobley JA, Chuang DT, Hutson SM . Branched-chain amino acid metabolism: interaction of glutamate dehydrogenase with the mitochondrial branched-chain aminotransferase (BCATm). J Biol Chem 2010; 285: 265–276.
Gropper SS, Smith JL Protein. In: Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism, 6th edn. Wadsworth, Cengage Learning: California, USA, 2013; pp 183–248.
Mallette LE, Exton JH, Park CR . Control of gluconeogenesis from amino acids in the perfused rat liver. J Biol Chem 1969; 244: 5713–5723.
Haralambie G, Berg A . Serum urea and amino nitrogen changes with exercise duration. Euro J Appl Physiol 1976; 36: 39–48.
Prockop DJ, Kivirikko KI . Relationship of hydroxyproline excretion in urine to collagen metabolism: biochemistry and clinical applications. Ann Internal Med 1967; 66: 1234–1267.
Munro HN, Young VR . Urinary excretion of 3-methylhistidine: a tool to study metabolic responses in relation to nutrient and hormonal status in health and disease of man. Am J Clin Nutr 1978; 31: 1608–1614.
Medici G, Mussi C, Fantuzzi AL, Malavolti M, Albertazzi A, Bedogni G . Accuracy of eight-polar bioelectrical impedance analysis for the assessment of total and appendicular body composition in peritoneal dialysis patients. Eur J Clin Nutr 2005; 59: 932–937.
Malavolti M, Mussi C, Poli M, Fantuzzi AL, Salvioli G, Battistini N et al. Cross-calibration of eight-polar bioelectrical impedance analysis versus dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry for the assessment of total and appendicular body composition in healthy subjects aged 21–82 years. Ann Hum Biol 2003; 30: 380–391.
Van Beaumont W . Evaluation of hemoconcentration from hematocrit measurements. J Appl Physiol 1972; 31: 712–713.
Ling Y, Wang XY, Yong W, Yuan JQ, Chu XG . Determination of four purines in meat by high performance liquid chromatography. Chin J Anal Chem 2008; 36: 724–728.
Mineo I, Kono N, Shimizu T, Hara N, Yamada Y, Sumi S et al. Excess purine degradation in exercising muscles of patients with glycogen storage disease types V and VII. J Clin Invest 1985; 76: 556–560.
Zakaria M, Brown PR, Farnes MP, Barker BE . HPLC analysis of aromatic amino acids, nucleosides, and bases in plasma of acute lymphocytic leukemics on chemotherapy. Clin Chim Acta 1982; 126: 69–80.
Owen JA, Iggo B, Scandrett FJ, Steward CP . The determination of creatinine in plasma or serum and in urine, a critical examination. Biochem J 1954; 58: 426–437.
Tang FC, Chan CC, Kuo PL . Contribution of creatine to protein homeostasis in athletes after endurance and sprint running. Eur J Nutr 2014; 53: 61–71.
Tang FC . Effect of branched-chain amino acid supplements on body composition measured with SBIA: an advanced BIA. Nutr Sci J 2003; 28: 65–73.
Williams MH . Carbohydrates: the main energy food. In: Nutrition for Health, Fitness & Sport, 8th edn. McGraw-Hill: New York, USA, 2007, pp 111–152.
Paul GL, Gautsch TA, Layman DK . Amino acid and protein metabolism during exercise and recovery. In: Wolinsky I (ed). Nutrition in Exercise and Sport, 3rd edn. CRC: New York, USA, 1998; pp 125–158.
Ketai LH, Simon RH, Kreit JW, Grum CM . Plasma hypoxanthine and exercise. Am Rev Respir Dis 1987; 136: 98–101.
She P, Zhou Y, Zhang Z, Griffin K, Gowda K, Lynch CJ . Disruption of BCAA metabolism in mice impairs exercise metabolism and endurance. J Appl Physiol 2010; 108: 941–949.
Wagenmakers AJM . Muscle amino acid metabolism at rest and during exercise: role in human physiology and metabolism. Exer Sport Sci Rev 1998; 26: 287–314.
Wagenmakers AJM Role of amino acids and ammonia in mechanisms of fatigue. In: Marconnet P, Komi PV, Saltin B, Sejersted OM (eds) Muscle Fatigue Mechanisms in Exercise and Training, 4th International Symposium on Exercise and Sport Biology: Nice, France, 1990 Med Sport Sci 1992; 34: 69–86.
Aragon JJ, Lowenstein JM . The purine-nucleotide cycle. Comparison of the levels of citric acid cycle intermediates with the operation of the purine nucleotide cycle in rat skeletal muscle during exercise and recovery from exercise. Eur J Biochem 1980; 110: 371–377.
Canela EI, Ginesta I, Franco R . Simulation of the purine nucleotide cycle as an anaplerotic process in skeletal muscle. Arch Biochem Biophys 1987; 254: 142–155.
Rodwell VW . Catabolism of the carbon skeletons of amino acids. In: Rodwell VW, Bender DA, Botham KM, Kennelly PJ, Weil PA (eds). Harper’s Illustrated Biochemistry, 30th edn. McGraw-Hill: New York, USA, 2015; pp 297–312.
Kaya M, Moriwaki Y, Ka T, Inokuchi T, Yamamoto A, Takahashi S et al. Plasma concentrations and urinary excretion of purine bases (uric acid, hypoxanthine, and xanthine) and oxypurinol after rigorous exercise. Metabolism 2006; 55: 103–107.
Williams MH . Human energy. In: Nutrition for Health, Fitness & Sport, 8th edn. McGraw-Hill: New York, USA, 2007; pp 81–110.
MacLean DA, Graham TE, Saltin B . Stimulation of muscle ammonia production during exercise following branched-chain amino acid supplementation in humans. J Physiol 1996; 493: 909–922.
Blomstrand E, Ek S, Newsholme EA . Influence of ingesting a solution of branched-chain amino acids on plasma and muscle concentrations of amino acids during prolonged submaximal exercise. Nutrition 1996; 12: 485–490.
Goldberg AL, Chang TW . Regulation and significance of amino acid metabolism in skeletal muscle. Fed Proc 1978; 37: 2301–2307.
Acknowledgements
This study would not have been possible without the dedication and cooperation of the volunteer athletes. We thank Chih-Yun Lin, MS, RD, Jo-Shui Chao, MS, RD and Po-Ling Kuo, MS, RD, for their technical assistance, and Charles V Morr, PhD, for his English-language editing. We are indebted to National Taiwan Normal University for financial support of this research (Grant number, 97024).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Competing interests
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Tang, FC., Chan, CC. Contribution of branched-chain amino acids to purine nucleotide cycle: a pilot study. Eur J Clin Nutr 71, 587–593 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2016.161
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2016.161
This article is cited by
-
MCEE: a data preprocessing approach for metabolic confounding effect elimination
Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry (2018)