The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects on physical performance of three levels of energy intake during a 5-day period of prolonged physical exercise and relative sleep deprivation. A group of 27 male soldiers were randomly assigned to three groups receiving either 1800 kcal.24 h-1 (7560 kJ, LC), 3200 kcal.24 h-1 (13440 kJ, MC) or 4200 kcal.24 h-1 (17,640 kJ, HC). They took part in a 5-day combat course (CC) of heavy and continuous physical activities, with less than 4 h sleep per day. Performance capacity was tested just before and at the end of CC. Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) was determined during an exhausting incremental exercise test on a cycle ergometer. Anaerobic performance was measured from the time during which exercise could be maintained at supra maximal loads on a cycle ergometer. After CC, the subjects receiving LC exhibited a 14% decrease in power output at exhaustion in the incremental exercise test [from 325 (SEM 8) to 278 (SEM 9) W, P < 0.001] and a significant decrease in VO2max of 8% [from 3.74 (SEM 0.06) to 3.45 (SEM 0.05) 1.min-1, P < 0.05]. The remaining two experimental groups demonstrated the same mechanical and metabolic performances on days 1 and 5. Anaerobic performance was not influenced by energy intake and the field course. Blood samples were obtained at rest on days 1 and 5. At the end of CC, the data demonstrated a significant decrease in blood glucose concentrated ion (P < 0.01) for LC diet only.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Twenty-five competitive wrestlers restricted their caloric intake (28 kcal.kg-1.day-1) for 19 days, using a hypocaloric control (hC, n = 6), hypocaloric high-protein (hHP, n = 7), hypocaloric high-branched-chain amino acid (hBCAA, n = 6), hypocaloric low-protein (hLP, n = 6) diet to determine the effects of caloric restriction on body composition and performances versus control diet (C, n = 6). Anthropometric parameters (weight, percent body fat) and adipose tissue (AT) distribution measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) obtained before and after diet, were compared. A significant highest body weight loss (-4 kg, p < 0.05) and decrease in the percent of body fat (-17.3%, p < 0.05) were observed for subjects of the hBCAA group. Subjects of the hBCAA group exhibited a significant reduction (-34.4%, p < 0.05) in abdominal visceral adipose tissue (VAT). There was no change in aerobic (VO2max) (p > 0.75) and anaerobic capacities (Wingate test) (p > 0.81), and in muscular strength (p > 0.82). We conclude that under our experimental conditions, the combination of moderate energy restriction and BCAA supplementation induced significant and preferential losses of VAT, and allowed maintainance of a high level of performance.

No abstract

This study was conducted to test the hypothesis that a branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) supplementation would minimize changes in body composition and alterations in plasma amino acid profile induced by prolonged exercises at altitude. Twenty-four highly trained subjects participated in six successive sessions of ski mountaineering (6-8 hr duration, altitude 2,500-4,100 m). Twelve subjects took a dietary supplement of BCAA (BCAA group) and 12 took a dietary supplement that was 98% carbohydrate (C group). Body weight decreased in C subjects (-2.1%,p < .01), while the body weight loss recorded in the BCAA group was not statistically significant (-1.2%, NS). Changes in body composition that resulted from repeated skiing exercise at altitude were not significantly minimized by BCAA administration. Peak power output recorded during an incremental bicycle exercise decreased in C subjects but did not change significantly in BCAA subjects. Results of this study demonstrate that neither changes in body composition related to the ski mountaineering program nor muscular performance during isometric contraction was significantly affected by BCAA administration.