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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2024 Feb 5;16(3):454.
doi: 10.3390/nu16030454.

Concurrent Ingestion of Alkaline Water and L-Glutamine Enhanced Salivary α-Amylase Activity and Testosterone Concentration in Boxing Athletes

Tung-Lin Lu  1 , Cheng-Shiun He  2 , Katsuhiko Suzuki  3 , Chi-Cheng Lu  1 , Chung-Yuan Wang  4 , Shih-Hua Fang  1
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Concurrent Ingestion of Alkaline Water and L-Glutamine Enhanced Salivary α-Amylase Activity and Testosterone Concentration in Boxing Athletes

Tung-Lin Lu et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

Athletes often take sport supplements to reduce fatigue and immune disturbances during or after training. This study evaluated the acute effects of concurrent ingestion of alkaline water and L-glutamine on the salivary immunity and hormone responses of boxers after training. Twelve male boxing athletes were recruited in this study. During regular training, the participants were randomly divided into three groups and asked to consume 400 mL of alkaline water (Group A), 0.15 g/kg body weight of L-glutamine with 400 mL of water (Group G), and 0.15 g/kg of L-glutamine with 400 mL of alkaline water (Group A+G) at the same time each day for three consecutive weeks. Before and immediately after the training, saliva, heart rates, and the rate of perceived exertion were investigated. The activity of α-amylase and concentrations of lactoferrin, immunoglobulin A (IgA), testosterone, and cortisol in saliva were measured. The results showed that the ratio of α-amylase activity/total protein (TP) significantly increased after training in Group A+G but not in Group A or G, whereas the ratios of lactoferrin/TP and IgA/TP were unaffected in all three groups. The concentrations of salivary testosterone after training increased significantly in Group A+G but not in Group A or G, whereas the salivary cortisol concentrations were unaltered in all groups. In conclusion, concurrent ingestion of 400 mL of alkaline water and 0.15 g/kg of L-glutamine before training enhanced the salivary α-amylase activity and testosterone concentration of boxers, which would be beneficial for post-exercise recovery.

Keywords: L-glutamine; alkaline water; exercise recovery; hormone; salivary immunity.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Acute effects of on salivary hormone concentrations ((A) testosterone and (B) cortisol) after training. Values are mean ± SD. * p < 0.05, significantly different from PRE in each group. A: alkaline water group; G: L-glutamine group; A+G: alkaline water + L-glutamine group.
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