Effects of aerobic and resistance exercise training associated with carnosine precursor supplementation on maximal strength and V̇O2max in rats with heart failure.

Abstract Background Combined exercise training (CET) has been associated with positive responses in the clinical status of patients with heart failure (HF). Other nonpharmacological tools, such as amino acid supplementation, may further enhance its adaptation. The aim was to test whether CET associated with supplementing carnosine precursors could present better responses in the functional capacity and biochemical variables of rats with HF. Methods Twenty-one male Wistar rats were subjected to myocardial infarction and allocated to three groups: sedentary (SED, n = 7), CET supplemented with placebo (CET P, n = 7), and CET with HF supplemented with β-alanine and L-histidine (CET S, n = 7). The trained animals were submitted to a strength protocol three times per week. Aerobic training was conducted twice per week. The supplemented group received β-alanine and L-histidine orally (250 mg/kg per day). Results Maximum oxygen uptake, running distance, time to exhaustion and maximum strength were higher in the CET-P group than that in the SED group and even higher in the CET-S group than that in the CET-P group (P  Conclusion CET together with β-alanine and L-histidine supplementation in rats with HF can elicit adaptations in both maximum oxygen uptake, running distance, time to exhaustion, maximum strength, oxidative stress, inflammation and mRNA expression. Carnosine may influence beneficial adjustments in the cell stress response in the skeletal muscle and upregulate the mRNA expression of calcium transporters.