Amino acids intake and physical fitness among adolescents

Abstract

The aim was to investigate whether there was an association between amino acid (AA) intake and physical fitness and if so, to assess whether this association was independent of carbohydrates intake. European adolescents (n = 1481, 12.5–17.5 years) were measured. Intake was assessed via two non-consecutive 24-h dietary recalls. Lower and upper limbs muscular fitness was assessed by standing long jump and handgrip strength tests, respectively. Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed by the 20-m shuttle run test. Physical activity was objectively measured. Socioeconomic status was obtained via questionnaires. Lower limbs muscular fitness seems to be positively associated with tryptophan, histidine and methionine intake in boys, regardless of centre, age, socioeconomic status, physical activity and total energy intake (model 1). However, these associations disappeared once carbohydrates intake was controlled for (model 2). In girls, only proline intake seems to be positively associated with lower limbs muscular fitness (model 2) while cardiorespiratory fitness seems to be positively associated with leucine (model 1) and proline intake (models 1 and 2). None of the observed significant associations remained significant once multiple testing was controlled for. In conclusion, we failed to detect any associations between any of the evaluated AAs and physical fitness after taking into account the effect of multiple testing.

Dietary intake, physical activity and muscle strength among adolescents: the Malaysian Health and Adolescents Longitudinal Research Team (MyHeART) study

“…In this study, no relationship was found between dietary intake, physical activity score and hand grip strength among female adolescents. This result is similar to that reported in a study on adolescents in Europe,15 which showed that proline (amino acids) is positively correlated with lower limb muscular strength but that, when carbohydrate intake is controlled for, this relationship disappears 15. On the other hand, a study conducted among Kenya adolescents found that female adolescents have greater muscle strength than their male counterparts and suggested that this was because the females undertake more household chores such as transferring water from deep wells and preparing meals, and thus have greater access to food than the males 54.…”

Plasma amino acids profile in first-episode psychosis, unaffected siblings and community-based controls

“…We cannot exclude the influence of fasting condition at the time of blood sampling in the amino acid plasma levels, given the fact that some of the amino acids are taken by diet, and that previous evidence demonstrated positive associations between food consumptions and altered profile of amino acids 5 , 71 . In addition, we do not have data concerning the physical activity of the participants, which can also impact the amino acids profile 72 , 73 similar to information about metabolic diseases as dyslipidemia and diabetes mellitus. Third, our patients were not drug-naïve and were heterogeneous regarding the type and duration of pharmacological treatment.…”

The longitudinal relationship between dietary intake, physical activity and muscle strength among adolescents

“…This study provides the first Malaysian population estimates of HGS, a marker of overall muscle strength, dietary intakes and physical activity, and it tracked the changes of these variables over time in the same individuals from early adolescence (13 years) to middle (15 years) and late adolescence (17 years). Often, these cohort studies were analysed as cross-sectional looking either at a single nutrient (15) , on dietary pattern (16) , or adherence to Mediterranean diet only (14) . Furthermore, the longitudinal design of this study has allowed the researcher to investigate the longitudinal relationship between the key variables of interest.…”

“…cross-sectionally. Some dietary studies have shown beneficial effects of the Mediterranean diet (14) , while others have shown no effects of single nutrient (15) or food groups (16) on muscle strength. While a population-based cohort study had concluded lower physical activity is associated with lower hand grip strength (HGS) for both sexes (17) .…”