RecruitingACTRN12624000799550

Investigating the effect of topical carnosine on rowing performance

Investigating the effect of topical carnosine on rowing performance in club level rowers

Sponsor

University of Waikato

Enrollment

16 participants

Start Date

Aug 23, 2024

Study Type

Interventional

Conditions

Exercise Induced Muscle Acidosis Athletic Performance

Summary

Carnosine naturally exists in skeletal muscle. Elevating the carnosine content in skeletal muscle can improve performance in short-duration, high-intensity exercise, by increasing intracellular pH buffering capacity and improving the contractile ability of skeletal muscle. Beta-alanine supplementation is the most common method to increase muscle carnosine but requires a loading phase of approximately four weeks. Topical carnosine (a carnosine gel applied to the skin) is an alternative method to increase muscle carnosine content and does not require a loading phase. We aim to investigate the effect of topical carnosine on 1,500 m rowing ergometer performance in club-level rowers. We expect the participants to have a small improvement in 1,500 m performance when topical carnosine is used.

Eligibility

Sex: Both males and femalesMin Age: 17 YearssMax Age: 30 Yearss

Plain Language Summary

Simplified for easier understanding

Carnosine is a naturally occurring compound found in muscles that helps buffer acidity during intense exercise — essentially allowing muscles to keep working harder for longer before fatigue sets in. Beta-alanine is the most common way to raise muscle carnosine levels, but it requires about four weeks of supplementation to take effect. A carnosine gel applied directly to the skin may be a faster alternative, bypassing the loading phase entirely. This study is investigating whether applying topical carnosine before exercise improves 1,500 metre rowing ergometer performance in club-level rowers. Participants will complete rowing time trials under two conditions — with and without the gel — so researchers can directly compare performance. You may be eligible if you are an experienced rower (more than 3 years of rowing), aged 17 to 30, and have not used beta-alanine supplements in the past 30 days. Both male and female rowers are welcome to participate.

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Interventions

This study will use a crossover design. Carnosine is an intracellular pH buffer that naturally exists in skeletal muscle. Exercise performance can be improved by increasing muscle carnosine content via beta-alanine supplementation. A commercially available product, Lactigo, is a topical gel containing carnosine that claims to increase muscle carnosine and improve performance. Lactigo is the topical carnosine to be used in this study. 45 minutes before the time trial begins, each participant will apply approximately 10 mL of topical carnosine to their arms and legs and the researcher will apply the gel to the participant's back. The topical carnosine will be kept in an unidentifiable bottle so the researcher and participant are unaware of which gel is being used (double-blind). The effectiveness of the topical carnosine will be assessed using a 1,500 m rowing ergometer time trial, where the performance measure used will be the total time to row 1,500 m. All participants will complete two time trials in total. The two time trials will be separated by one week to allow for washout. Adherence to the protocol will be assessed using the Borg 20-point rated perceived exertion (RPE) scale to ensure participants give maximal effort on each time trial. Participants will be asked to provide their RPE within 30 seconds of finishing each time trial. An RPE value of 19 or 20 will be required to say that maximal effort was given.

Locations(1)

Waikato, Bay of plenty, Auckland, New Zealand

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ACTRN12624000799550

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