Polyphenol supplementation attenuates acute exercise induced increase in glutamine and acylcarnitine after resistance training: preliminary results

Title: POLYPHENOL SUPPLEMENTATION ATTENUATES ACUTE EXERCISE INDUCED INCREASE IN GLUTAMINE AND ACYLCARNITINE AFTER RESISTANCE TRAINING: PRELIMINARY RESULTS
Session: CP-PN20 - AMINO ACIDS AND PROTEINS
AID: 12930/3018, Presentation format: POSTER
Authors: REIHMANE, D., FLENSTED-JENSEN, M., DELA, F., BERZINA, A., LEJNIECE, K., KLAVINS, K.
Institution: RIGA STRADIŅŠ UNIVERSITY
Country: LATVIA, Topic: MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY
INTRODUCTION:
While resistance-based training (RBT) is recognized for its role in mitigating the decline in physical function, its impact on inflammation, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial function in older adults remains less well understood. The aim of this ongoing study is to investigate the effects of RBT and polyphenol supplementation on systemic blood metabolites in individuals at the onset of aging.
METHODS:
Forty subjects (20 males, 20 females) between 55 and 70 years of age (mean: 61.3 ± 4.3 years) were randomly assigned to either a polyphenol supplementation (PS) or placebo (PLA) group. All participants underwent a 12-week RBT protocol. Before and after RBT, subjects performed a 45-minute cycling test at 70% VO₂max. Blood plasma samples were collected at baseline and during the final minute of the acute exercise session.
Metabolite analysis was performed on plasma samples. Metabolite extraction followed a methanol-based protocol, and quantification was carried out using a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) workflow. Separation was achieved via hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC), and detection was performed using a high-resolution Orbitrap Exploris 120 mass spectrometer. Over 70 metabolites were quantified using external standard calibration curves and isotopically labeled internal standards. Preliminary data from 12 subjects (six from each group) are presented.
RESULTS:
Plasma concentrations of several metabolites changed in response to the acute cycling test. Notably, a significant increase in glutamine and acetylcarnitine concentrations was observed (p < 0.05). After 12 weeks of RBT, the increase in glutamine during the acute cycling test was less pronounced in the PLA group, whereas in the PS group, glutamine levels remained elevated. A similar trend was observed for acetylcarnitine, a marker of mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation. Specifically, after 12 weeks of RBT, the increase in acetylcarnitine during the acute cycling test was attenuated in the PLA group, while it remained more pronounced in the PS group.
CONCLUSION:
Polyphenol supplementation during 12 weeks of resistance-based training attenuates the acute exercise-induced increase in metabolites, most notably glutamine and acetylcarnitine, in the blood. The possible mechanisms, along with data from all 40 subjects, will be explored in the coming months and presented in greater detail at the congress.