Effects of military training on plasma amino acid concentrations and their associations with overreaching
Year of publication
2020
Authors
Ikonen, Jenni N.; Joro, Raimo; Uusitalo, Arja L. T.; Kyröläinen, Heikki; Kovanen, Vuokko; Atalay, Mustafa; Tanskanen-Tervo, Minna M.
Abstract
Amino acids are thought to have a key role in the processes contributing to overreaching development through their metabolic properties and neuronal functions. In the present study, the effects of 10-week military training on the concentrations of 19 amino acids were investigated. Plasma amino acid concentrations were measured at rest from 53 healthy male conscripts on weeks 1, 4, 7, and 9 of their military service. Conscripts were classified as overreached and non-overreached. Overreaching classification was based on fulfilling at least three of five criteria: greater than 5% decrease in maximal oxygen uptake, increased rating perceived exertion (RPE), and decreased lactate-RPE ratio in submaximal marching test, admitting feeling overloaded and both increased scores in fatigue and decreased scores in vigor in the Profile of Mood States Adolescents. Eight conscripts (15%) were classified as overreached; their glutamine–glutamate ratio and alanine and arginine levels were significantly lower (P < 0.05) and glutamate concentration significantly higher (P < 0.05) in comparison to their non-overreached counterparts. The levels of arginine increased (P < 0.05) and tryptophan (P < 0.001) decreased in both groups throughout the study. The tyrosine concentration increased in non-overreached but, in contrast, remained at the same level in overreached individuals (P < 0.05). The results suggest that alterations in the levels of three metabolically important amino acids, alanine, glutamate and arginine, and the possibly neuroactive tyrosine and tryptophan might explain some of the physical and psychological symptoms of overreaching. The present study also confirms the potential use of glutamine–glutamate ratio as a tool for detecting overreaching.
Show moreOrganizations and authors
University of Helsinki
Uusitalo Arja L. T.
National Defence University
Kyröläinen Heikki
University of Eastern Finland
Atalay Mustafa
Helsinki University Hospital Catchment Area
Uusitalo Arja L. T.
Publication type
Publication format
Article
Parent publication type
Journal
Article type
Original article
Audience
ScientificPeer-reviewed
Peer-ReviewedMINEDU's publication type classification code
A1 Journal article (refereed), original researchPublication channel information
Parent publication name
Volume
245
Issue
12
Pages
1029-1038
ISSN
Publication forum
Publication forum level
1
Open access
Open access in the publisher’s service
Yes
Open access of publication channel
Fully open publication channel
Self-archived
Yes
Other information
Fields of science
Biomedicine; Surgery, anesthesiology, intensive care, radiology; Sport and fitness sciences
Keywords
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Publication country
United States
Internationality of the publisher
International
Language
English
International co-publication
No
Co-publication with a company
No
DOI
10.1177/1535370220923130
The publication is included in the Ministry of Education and Culture’s Publication data collection
Yes