A High Protein Diet Improves Exercise Performance Outcomes to Workouts Completed on Gravity-Independent Hardware
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Keywords
Metabolism, Total Work, Ergogenic
Abstract
Introduction: Space flight diets include a 55:30:15 (carbohydrate:fat:protein) ratio. Yet, recent missions see astronauts exercise 2-4 hours daily for up to seven days a week. Perhaps, a high protein diet (45:25:30) is more conducive to longer missions and their high exercise volumes. Methods: Twelve men and ten women followed each diet (55:30:15, 45:25:30) for 14 days. After each diet concluded subjects did a workout comprised of four exercises for three 60-second sets each whereby their total work volume was recorded. Respiratory quotients and net energy costs were measured at workouts. Blood lactate concentrations ([BLa-]) were measured before and five minutes post-exercise. Total work and respiratory data were compared with two-way ANOVAs. [BLa-] were assessed with a three-way ANOVA.
Results: [BLa-] differences occurred by time (post-exercise 9.1 ± 2.2 > pre-exercise 2.0 ± 0.3 mmol . L-1, p < 0.0001) and for total work by gender (men 1095 ± 122 > women 971 ± 85 kilojoules, p = 0.03) and diet (45:25:30 1082 ± 90 > 55:30:15 1037 ± 132 > pre-diet 981 ± 91 kilojoules, p = 0.00023).
Conclusions: A high protein diet led to greater total work. Such diets may best abate exercise performance deficits incurred with long-term missions.
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