Effect of 8-Week β-Alanine Supplementation on CRP, IL-6, Body Composition, and Bio-Motor Abilities in Elite Male Basketball Players

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Oct 21;19(20):13700. doi: 10.3390/ijerph192013700.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of 8-week β-alanine supplementation on C-Reactive Protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), body composition, and bio-motor abilities in elite male basketball players. Twenty male basketball players (age: 23 + 0.6 years; body mass: 78.3 + 4.8 kg; height:185.3 + 5.4 cm, %BF, 15.2 ± 4.8) volunteered to participate in this study. They were divided into a β-alanine group (BG, N = 10) and a placebo group (PG, N = 10). All players were preparing for university competitions and had played for over five years. Players used 6.4 g/d of β-alanine in BG and maltodextrin in PG. The participants were involved in regular basketball training three months before the study. CRP, IL-6, body composition parameters, and bio-motor abilities were measured before starting the exercises and after completing the eight-week training period. The research findings showed a significant decrease in CRP and IL-6 and an increase in anaerobic peak power between the pre-test and post-test, as well as between BG and PG groups (p < 0.05). Although the other measured factors were a relative improvement compared to the pre-test and also compared to PG, these changes were not statistically significant (p < 0.05). Eight weeks of β-alanine supplementation ameliorated increases in IL-6 and CRP associated with in-season physical stressors in collegiate basketball players. These changes in pro-inflammatory cytokines suggest that β-alanine supplementation may be a useful nutritional strategy for immune regulation and can also improve anaerobic performance compared to PG.

Keywords: basketball; beta-alanine; performance; pro-inflammatory; youth sports.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Basketball* / physiology
  • Body Composition
  • C-Reactive Protein
  • Dietary Supplements
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-6
  • Male
  • Young Adult
  • beta-Alanine

Substances

  • beta-Alanine
  • C-Reactive Protein
  • Interleukin-6

Grants and funding

This research received no external funding.