Effects of inosine on aerobic capacity in males physical education students

Abstract

The effects of oral inosine (a hypoxanthine riboside) supplementation on aerobic capacity were studied in fourteen healthy male physical education students, 20-23 years of age. A double-blind, inosine-placebo, crossover study was used. The subjects were equally divided into two groups A and B. Group A received inosine for the first six weeks then placebo for another six weeks will group B underwent the reversed regimen. Each subject undertook inosing (200 mo) or placebo lactose (250 mo) each time, 3 times/day after meal for everyday throughout the twelve weeks period. Tests of maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) and endurance exercise performance were performed in each subject on two separate days in prior to administration of the food supplements. The tests were repeated at the end of every three week of the twelve-week experiment. The VO2max was indirectly determined in each subject with a bicycle barometer and the Astrand heart rate-O2 consumption Nomogram. Prolonged submaximal exercise was performed on the bicycle ergometer at a constant speed of 60 rpm and the work intensity of 60% of individuals maximum heart rate for 30 minutes. Venous blood samples (8 ml each) were collected prior to and at the last minute of prolonged exercise in order to assess hemoglobin concentration (Hb), hematocrit (Hct), 2,3-DPG, plasma glucose and serum uric acid. It was found that there was no significant beneficial effect of oral inosine administration on both the Vo2max and the prolonged exercise performance and also on the other performance dependent variables. In stead, serum and urinary uric acid concentrations were significantly increased during the oral inosine trial. These findings indicate that inosine supplementation at the given regimen exerted no significant benificial ergogenic influence on aerobic physical performance while its adverse cause of accumulation of uric acid in the body occurred.