THE EFFECT OF BCAA SUPPLEMENTATION UPON THE IMMUNE RESPONSE OF TRIATHLETES.

Reinaldo Abunasser BASSIT

Mara Assis MALVERDI

Bassit, R.A.^2,4; Sawada, L.A.³; Bacurau, R.F.P.^1,4; Navarro, F.^2,4 & Costa Rosa, L.F.B.P.^2,4

¹Department of Physiology and Biophysics and ²Department of Histology and Embryology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

³Department of Biodynamic of the Movement of the Human Body, School of Sport and Physical Education, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

⁴Laboratory of Human Nutrition for Athletes - CEPEUSP, University of São Paulo, Brazil

Short tittle: BCAA supplementation and immune response

Key words: triathlon, immune system, glutamine, immunossupression, cytokines, lymphocyte proliferation

Correspondence to:

• Dr. Luís F. B. P. Costa Rosa, Departamento de Histologia e Embriologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas I, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Lineu Prestes, 1524, 05508-900, Butantã, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
• Phone/fax: 55-011-818.7227
• E-mail: ggrosa@icb.usp.br

Results

Athletes participating in the Olympic Triathlon answered a questionnaire concerning the incidence of infection symptoms before (1 month) and after (1 week) the competition (18 – Table 1). Supplementation with branched chain amino acids (BCAA) induced a decrease in the symptoms of infection reported (33.84%) when the answers were compared with those of the group receiving placebo (PG) (Figure 1).

Athletes from the BCAA group (BG) presented the same plasma glutamine level, before and after the trial (Figure 2), while those from the placebo group showed a reduction of 22.8% in plasma glutamine concentration after the competition (Figure 2). This change in glutamine concentration was accompanied by increased lymphocyte proliferation obtained from resting subjects (Table 2). In such athletes we observed a systematic decrease in lymphocyte proliferation that was, however, not significant (Table 2). Lymphocytes obtained from subjects of the BG, on the other hand, presented a smaller index of proliferation before the test (reduction of 36.2% as compared with PG), which was slightly increased by 12.6% after the competition (Table 2). The effects of BCAA supplementation appeared when the cells were stimulated by mitogens. In PG lymphocytes the presence of concanavalin A (ConA) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the culture medium induced an increase in the proliferative response (79.9% and 41.1%, respectively) that was amplified in the BG (3.34-fold and 2.35-fold, respectively, Table 2). We have also observed in the BG triathletes a greater lymphocyte proliferative response after the test when compared with the changes observed in the placebo group after the triathlon (27.4% and 17.2% for ConA and LPS, respectively).

These changes in the proliferative response of peripheral blood lymphocytes were accompanied by changes in the production of interleukin 1 and 2 (IL-1 and IL-2), tumour necrosis factor-a (TNF) and interferon-g (INF) by cells cultivated for 48h in the presence of LPS (IL-1) or PHA (IL-2, TNF and INF). The athletes from PG presented a reduction in IL-1 production after exercise (22.2%), that was reversed by BCAA supplementation (20.3% - Figure 3). There was no changes in IL-2 production induced by the exercise per se (Figure 4), but we could notice an increase in the production of this cytokine in the supplemented group before (47.9%) and after the trial (84.8% - Figure 4). The production of TNF and INF presented the same pattern of changes as that of IL-1. Cells from PG showed, when harvested after exercise, a decreased production of these cytokines (35.1% for IFN and 16.9% for TNF - Figures 5 and 6, respectively). In the cells obtained from BG this decrease in cytokines production after exercise was abolished (Figures 5 and 6).

Figure 1 - Number of marks in the questionnaires filled by the athletes for one month prior to the competition and one week after GP - placebo group; GS - supplemented group. The results are expressed as percentile and represent mean ± SEM of 8 athletes in the GP and 11 in the GS.

* p < 0.05 for comparison with the placebo group (GP)

*p < 0.05 for comparison between the values obtained before and after the trial.

^a P < 0.05 for comparison between GP and GS after the trial.

GP - placebo group; GS - Supplemented group

* p < 0.05 for comparison with placebo Group (GP)

Figure 4 - Production of Interleukin-2 (IL-2) by peripheral blood mononuclear cells cultivated for 48 h in the presence of phytohemaglutinin 10 m g (ml), before and after the trial. The results are expressed as pg/ml and represents the mean ± SEM of 8 samples in the placebo group (GP) and 11 in the supplemented group (GS).

* p < 0.05 for comparison with placebo Group (GP)

* p < 0.05 for comparison with placebo Group (GP)

* p < 0.05 for comparison with placebo Group (GP)

Table 2. Proliferative response of peripheral blood lymphocytes obtained from athletes of the placebo (GP) and supplemented (GP) groups before and after a triathlon. The results are expressed in DPM (decay per minute) as mean ± of 8 athletes in the GP and 11 in the GS.

*p < 0.05 for comparison with the supplemented group (GS) 

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Reinaldo Abunasser BASSIT

CRN - 6845

Formação Profissional

• Professor de Educação Física - Universidade de São Paulo - Escola de Educação Física. (EEFUSP) - 1988-1991.
• Nutricionista - Universidade Anhembi Morumbi - 1993 - 1996
• Mestrado - Universidade de São Paulo - Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas. (ICB- USP). Laboratório de Metabolismo
  • Ano de entrada: 1998
  • Previsão de Conclusão: 2000

Atividades Profissionais

• Professor de Natação e Hidroginástica Período: 2º semestre de 1990
• Preparação Física Individual (Personal Training) Período: 1989 a 1997
• Professor de Musculação e Condicionamento Físico Período: 1992 a 1995
• Coordenador de Natação e Hidroginástica Período: 1994
• Avaliação e Orientação Nutricional dos Atletas Olímpicos
  • Roberto Scheidt
  • Aurélio Miguel
  • Daniele Zangrando
  • Cristiane Parmiggiane
  • Henrique Guimarães
  • Leandro Macedo
  • Mariana Ohata
• Orientador Nutricional e Avaliador da Composição Corporal de Times Profissionais.
• Olympikus Telesp (voleibol) 1995 e 1997
• Sport Clube Banespa (voleibol) 1996 e 1997.
• Sport Club Corinthians Paulista (Futebol) 1997
• Portuguesa Futebol Clube 1997.
• São Paulo Futebol Clube 1995 e 1996.
• Preparador Físico das Equipes Masculina e Feminina de Handebol Profissional de Osasco. Período: 1997. (Campeão Brasileiro com a Equipe Feminina).
• Nutricionista da Equipe Brasileira de Duplas na Travessia da Race Across América 98. Período: 1998. (O Brasil foi campeão pela primeira vez obtendo o record na categoria com o tempo de 7 dias e10 horas.)
• Consultório particular (desde 1997)

Mara Assis MALVERDI

CRN - 6844

Formação Profissional

• Professora de Educação Física - Universidade de São Paulo - Escola de Educação Física. (EEFUSP) - 1988-1991.
• Nutricionista - Universidade Anhembi Morumbi - 1993 - 1996

Atividades Profissionais

Área de Educação Física

• Professora de Ed. Física Escolar (1992-1994)
• Professora de Natação e Hidroginástica (1992-1994)
• Professora de Ginástica (1992-1994)
• Coordenadora de atividades aquáticas (1994)

Área de Nutrição

• Atendimento em clínicas médicas (1997-1998)
• Atendimento em academias:
  • Master Academia (1997 - 1998)
  • Raia 4 Morumbi (1997-2000)
  • Raia 4 Moema (1997-2000)
  • Kainágua Fitness (desde 1998)
  • Aquademia Sports (1998-1999)
  • Consultório particular (desde 1997)

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• E-mail: totalnutrition@totalnutrition.com.br
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