New York, NY—A branded L-alanyl-L-glutamine ingredient (Sustamine from Kyowa Hakko, based here) improved performance and reaction time in 10 college basketball players.

The female athletes from the University of Central Florida participated in four 40-minute basketball games. In the first game, the women couldn’t rehydrate and weight lost during the trial was used to determine fluid replenishment in the later games. During these three games, the women drank either plain water or water mixed with the supplement (first a low dose of one gram and then a higher dose of two grams). Overall, women shot 12.5% better in the low-dose game than the first game and 11% better than in the water-only game. Women were less fatigued in the high-dose game than in the others. During the non-rehydration game, women lost 2.3% body mass and had reduced shooting accuracy and reaction time. The results were attributed to the fact that the ingredient improves fluid and electrolyte uptake, so neural function is better preserved during physical activity.

These data are published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.

Published in WholeFoods Magazine, June 2012 (online 4/19/12)