While regular exercise training is associated with numerous health benefits, a single bout of physical exercise has been shown to induce inflammatory process and cellular damage. However, natural supplementation may attenuate these in athletes. Hence, the present study was conducted to assess the effect of BCAA supplementation on serum C - reactive protein, creatine kinase (CK) after acute resistance exercise in soccer players. 20 male subjects (age: 21.5 ±1.7 years; height: 177.3 ± 1.1 cm; weight: 77.2 ±2.2 kg) completed 3 sets of 8-10 repetitions at their 8-10 repetition maximum to volitional fatigue. The exercise order consisted of the high pull, leg curl, standing overhead press, leg extension, lat pull-down, leg press, and bench press. In a double-blind, posttest-only control group design, subjects consumed 200 mg.kg-1 BW of either BCAA or placebo (carbohydrate (dextrin)) 30 minutes prior to exercise. To identify ck activity and HS-CRP, venous blood samples were obtained 30 min prior to and immediately following exercise and at 1 hr, 2 hrs, 24 hrs post exercise. Data were statistically analyzed using 2-way repeated measure ANOVA and Bonfferoni test. Baseline CK and Hs-CRP were determined 30 minutes before the exercise test. Baseline serum values for CK, Hs-CRP were not different between groups in the 30 minutes before the exercise test (p>0/05). However there were significant increases (p<0/05) between the pre exercise and post exercise values for CK, Hs-CRP from 24 hrs posttest, (p< 0.05). Importantly, the BCAA supplementation significantly reduced this change in CK from 24hrs post-test, and Hs-CRP 24hrs post-test (p< 0.05). Conclusions: These results indicate that supplementary BCAA decreased serum concentrations of the intramuscular enzyme CK and inflammation biomarker Hs-CRP following resistance exercise. This observation suggests that BCAA supplementation may reduce the muscle damage and inflammation biomarker associated with resistance exercise.
