Effects of Oral Administration of Aspartic Acid Salts on the Endurance Capacity of Trained Athletes

Abstract

Abstract Seven healthy young male athletes exercised to exhaustion on a cycle ergometer after ingesting either the salts of aspartic acid or a placebo. Previous research has suggested that these salts can increase the capacity to perform muscular work by affecting circulating ammonia levels. The work test was performed at 75% of the subject's [Vdot]O2mex after ingestion of 10 g of potassium-magnesium aspartate over a 24 hr period or a similar amount of a placebo. A double blind protocol was utilized. The time to exhaustion was significantly increased following aspartate ingestion, 87.6 ± 4.3 min vs. 75.7 ± 11.9 min in the placebo condition (p<.025). Free fatty adds (FFA) were significantly increased post exercise and lactate concentrations were decreased in the aspartate condition (p<.05). There was a time effect for blood lactate values (p<.01). There were significant differences in the ammonia levels after ingestion of aspartate at the 0, 15, 30, 45, and 60 min collection periods (p<.05). There was also a significant difference in the initial resting heart rate of the subjects with the aspartate being 10 bpm higher than the placebo values (p<.05). We concluded by suggesting that potassium and magnesium aspartic acid salts were useful as an ergogenic aid under the conditions found in this experiment.