Contact: Trey Williams LSU News Service 504-388-3870
Maren Hegsted 504-388-1518
Arnold Nelson 504-388-2036
LSU professors help find a way to exercise longer
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE * * * * * * * * * * * April 9, 1997
BATON ROUGE -- Two LSU professors have helped find a way for individuals to be able to exercise for longer periods of time, according to a study released today (April 9) at the Experimental Biology '97 conference in New Orleans.
The study found that young, aerobically fit adults given 20 grams of creatine a day for seven to eight days were able to exercise at a higher aerobic level for a longer period of time before reaching the anaerobic threshold, the point at which most people begin to experience fatigue.
Creatine is a nitrogenous substance produced naturally by the liver and kidneys and is found in the muscles of humans.
Arnold Nelson, assistant professor of kinesiology, and Maren Hegsted, professor of human ecology, both of LSU, and Randy Day of Brigham Young University in Hawaii conducted the study. The experiments took place in Day's laboratory.
The researchers measured levels of two waste metabolites, lactate and ammonia, in the blood of 28 adults during and after exercise, repeating the measures after seven to eight days of creatine supplementation.
While the peak aerobic capacity of the individuals stayed the same after the creatine supplement, young adults were able to exercise significantly longer before reaching their anaerobic threshold.
Nelson said the test proves that creatine supplementation alters the impact of the different metabolic systems during exercise and increases an individual's capacity to perform aerobic work. He said the study suggests that persons who follow a similiar creatine supplementation regime should be able to perform or compete in endurance events at a higher intensity for a longer period of time.
The Experimental Biology '97 conference gives scientists an opportunity to share research findings with colleagues and scientists researching similar questions.
-30-
RSS