Combined Effects of Caloric Restriction and Branched-Chain Amino Acid Supplementation on Body Composition and Exercise Performance in Elite Wrestlers

Twenty-five competitive wrestlers restricted their caloric intake (28 kcal kg^-1 · day^-1) for 19 days, using a hypocaloiric 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.

Key words

Caloric restriction - branched-chain aminco acids - magnetic resonance imaging - body composition - aerobic and anaerobic parameters - muscular strength