Effects of high-dose, short-duration β-Alanine supplementation on cognitive function, mood, and circulating Brain-Derived Neurotropic Factor (BDNF) in recreationally-active males before simulated military operational stress
Varanoske et al. (2021) reveal that β-alanine (BA) supplementation has demonstrated its ability to enhance cognition, mitigate symptoms of anxiety and depression associated with aging, and positively influence mood and physical performance during military operations. But it is not yet known whether beta-alanine can reduce mood fluctuations and cognitive dysfunction connected to the anticipatory stress before the person has experienced simulated military operations. This study therefore enrolled healthy males with limited inflammation and oxidative stress and randomized the participants to either receive BA or placebo for 14 days before undertaking a 24-hour simulated military operation. The subjects’ cognitive function, mood, and circulating brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF; increase correlates with aging, neurological disorders, and physical exertion) before and after supplementation. The results showed that cognitive function and BDNF concentrations were not significantly affected, but the BA supplementation group reported reduced feelings of depression. Whereas the placebo group felt less vigor. It was concluded that β-alanine given at high dose and for a short period of time may reduce the onset of negative mood states in healthy males prior to a simulated military operation. [NPID: military, β-alanine, BA, cognition, anxiety, depression, aging, mood, performance, military operations, inflammation, oxidative stress, BDNF, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, neurological disorders, physical exertion]
Year: 2021
