Comparison of Pre-exercise Beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate Free Acid (HMB-FA) and Cold Water Therapy for the Attenuation of Muscle Damage and Soreness

Overview

Study Objectives 1. Compare beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate free acid (HMB-FA) to cold water immersion on performance recovery from an acute bout of high intensity resistance exercise. 2. Compare HMB-FA + Cold water immersion to HMB-FA or cold water immersion. 3. Examine the effect of these recovery modalities on markers of muscle damage, inflammation and immune function. Subjects Subjects (men and women, 18 - 35 y) with at least one year of resistance training experience will be recruited. Subjects will be randomly divided into one of four groups: a cold water immersion group (CW), HMB-FA, CW+HMB-FA and a control group (CT). Study Protocol Subjects will report to the Human Performance Laboratory (HPL) on four separate occasions. On the first visit (T1) subjects will be tested for maximal strength \[one repetition-maximum (1-RM)\] on the squat, dead lift and barbell lunge exercises.\] On their second visit (T2) subjects will perform a lower body resistance exercise session consisting of four sets of the squat, dead lift and barbell lunge exercises. All subjects will then report back to the HPL at 24- (T3) and 48-hours (T4) post-exercise. During T3 and T4, subjects will perform four sets of the squat exercise only using the same loading pattern and rest interval length as T2. Following the T2 and T3 workouts subjects in CT will undergo no treatment; subjects in CW will be required to sit in a whirlpool tub for 10-min up to their umbilicus in water at 50° F - 54° F (10° C - 12° C); subjects in HMB-FA will be provided the supplement 30 min prior each workout and CW+HMB-FA will be administered together at time points describe above. Statistical Analysis Statistical evaluation of performance and biochemical changes will be accomplished using a repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA).