Our Amino Acid Research Continuum
InnovAAte's approach to amino acid research has opened up a new and greater understanding of amino acid requirements for supplementation.
Completed Research
Here we share our completed research projects, highlighting key findings and the associated peer-reviewed published papers.
Completed Research
Fitness Training
Findings
- Increasing levels of exercise to improve fitness and well-being results in higher demands on amino acid resources by the body to build aerobic capacity and muscles.
- Over time, adjustments will be made by the body to increase its capacity to synthesize the non-essential amino acids .
- Higher levels of physical activities require higher intakes of nutritional resources to support the building of fitness and strength.
- Certain amino acids are utilized at faster rates than others during daily exertion and exercise because they are;
- This generates an increased demand for these Key Amino Acids
Peer-reviewed published paper
Alterations in red blood cell parameters, plasma amino acids, total cholesterol and fatty acids in Standardbred horses undergoing fitness training.
Comparative Exercise Physiology, 15(1), 13-23. doi:10.3920/CEP180045
How these findings have and are shaping product development
This research project provided valuable insight into the changes in amino acid composition in the blood plasma that were associated with attaining fitness.
From this work, we could begin to better understand the types of metabolic demands made by the body to support exercise. These would include factors such as:
- Protein turnover
- Maintaining muscle mass
- Losses through excretion pathways
Sweat
Findings
- Large losses of Key Amino Acids occur in sweat
- A group of 6 amino acids are lost at disproportionately faster rates than the others
- There are different types of sweat losses
- Higher volume with lower concentrations of amino acids
- Lower volume, but higher concentrations of amino acids
- Considerable quantities of these key amino acids can be lost
- 1-2 L of sweat can be lost per hour during exercise.
- Manual laborers can lose 10 L of sweat per day in a hot climate
- Links were established between the losses of amino acids in sweat with the processes of resorption of sodium and chloride in the sweat glands.
Peer-reviewed & published papers
- Sweat facilitated amino acid losses in male athletes during exercise at 32-34°C. PLoS ONE, 11(12). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0167844
- Sweat facilitated losses of amino acids in Standardbred horses and the application of supplementation strategies to maintain condition during training. Comparative Exercise Physiology, 11(4), 201-212. doi:10.3920/CEP150027
- Relationships between electrolyte and amino acid compositions in sweat during exercise suggests a role for amino acids in reabsorption of Na+ and Cl- from sweat. PLOS ONE 14(10): e0223381. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0223381
How these findings have and are shaping product development
These research findings have been fundamental to our generation of the product concept. We have measured what is lost in sweat and concluded that six amino acids were lost in much higher quantities than other amino acids during exercise. The rationale for the InnovAAte product range is simply to replenish these key factors.
Since digestion is greatly diminished during and after exercise, our research has also led us to identifying the time immediately after exercise as a critical opportunity to replenish these amino acids.
If one can replenish these key amino acids during the exercise or at intermittent breaks, then this would also be of great potential benefit.
Modelling protein turnover
Findings
- A small group of key amino acids can become limiting during daily exertion resulting in a restricted supply of amino acids at critical times of demand.These limitations can be exacerbated with:
- High intensity exercise
- High levels of exertion at work
- Living in a warm-hot climate
- The results provided a scientific basis to explain how small quantities of the key amino acids could provide benefit to assist in the recovery from daily exertion and high intensity exercise.
Peer-Reviewed & Published Papers
Human: Modelling of protein turnover provides insight for metabolic demands on those specific amino acids utilized at disproportionately faster rates than other amino acids.
Amino Acids. doi:10.1007/s00726-019-02734-1
Horses: Modelling of amino acid turnover in the horse during training and racing: A basis for developing a novel supplementation strategy.
PLOS ONE 15(1): e0226988. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0226988
How these findings have and are shaping product development
The results from this research have provided insight into how replenishment of small quantities of specific amino acids could help the body meet the daily demands of exercise and exertion.