Antioxidants and L-Arginine
Demonstrate Benefits for                
Active “Over Age 50”
Sports Participants                                                

New Research On How Antioxidants, Carotenoids,
Amino Acids and Other Nutrients Provide Benefits
For Boosting Energy & Endurance. Dietary Supplements                           
Containing Arginine May Boost Athletic Performance for
Active People Over Age 50 Reports A New Study.                                                    

The supplemention of key antioxidants including vitamins C
and E, folic acid anlong with the amino acid L-Arginine was
associated with a 17 per cent increase in the anaerobic threshold,
defined asthe amount of physical work done before lactic acid
begins to accumulate in the blood, according to findings published
in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.

“The loss of exercise capacity with age often results in a reduction
in physical fitness and more rapid senescence,” explained lead
researcher from the University of California, Los Angeles. “A dietary
supplement that increases exercise capacity might help to preserve
physical fitness by optimizing performance and improving general
health and well being in older people.”
                                                                                                                                                                         

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The UCLA researchers recruited 16 men with an average age of 57.6                                       
were randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group received                                
the supplement combination while the other received placebo for three
weeks. A stationary cycle was used to analyse changes in the anaerobic
threshold.

At the end of one week of supplementation the researchers noted a                                
16.7 per cent increase in the anaerobic threshold in the supplementation
group, which was maintained until week three, where a 14.2 per cent
increase on baseline values was obtained. In the placebo group,
however, no significant changes were recorded .

“We’ve demonstrated a 16.7 per cent increase in anaerobic threshold.
This indicates a potential role of L-Arginine and antioxidant
supplementation in improving exercise performance in elderly,”  
the researchers observed.

Commenting on the potential mechanism of action, the researchers
focussed on nitric oxide (NO), a molecule involved in many
physiological processes, is produced from arginine and inactivated
by oxygen free radicals. Supplementation with arginine and
antioxidants, the researchers proposed a supporting of the
NO system in the cyclists.

“This study indicated a potential role of L-arginine and antioxidant
supplementation in improving exercise performance in elderly,”
they concluded.

The study was supported by a US National Institutes of Health
(NIH) Nutrition and Obesity Training Grant.

Antioxidants will be the focus of the upcoming NutraIngredients
“Antioxidants” 2010 Conference in Brussels. Topics ranging from
testing to building the science to supporting health claims will be
addressed by a range of international experts.

Source: Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition
“Arginine and antioxidant supplement on performance in elderly
male cyclists: a randomized controlled trial”