Whey protein and leucine ingested in conjunction with eight wk of resistance training was shown to increase muscle strength beyond that

achieved with resistance training and a carbohydrate placebo [23]. Creatine supplemented during 12 wk of heavy resistance training has been shown to augment changes indicative of skeletal muscle hypertrophy, as creatine resulted in increases in MHC Type I, IIa, and IIx protein, respectively, as well as a 58% increase in myofibrillar protein content [24]. SCH772984 price Furthermore, creatine was found to significantly increase the expression of myogenin and MRF-4 protein [25]. In a similar study, MRF-4 protein expression was increased after 10 wk of resistance training and creatine supplementation, with the increase in MRF-4 expression being significantly correlated with an increased mean fiber area [26]. After 16 wk of heavy resistance training, creatine Selleck ABT263 supplementation increased satellite cell activation, myonuclear number, mean fiber area, and muscle strength compared to whey protein supplementation and control [27]. Creatine supplementation has been shown to enhance myogenic differentiation by activating the p38 MAPK pathway, which is an intracellular signaling pathway responsible for

up-regulating skeletal www.selleckchem.com/products/jph203.html muscle gene expression in response to muscle contraction. Creatine has also been shown to increase the activity of the Akt/mTOR pathway [28]. The Akt/mTOR pathway is an intracellular pathway involved in increasing muscle protein synthesis. Furthermore, the Akt/mTOR pathway can also be activated by leucine [29]. Consequently, leucine supplementation increased the levels of α-ketoisocaproate (KIC) [30]. KIC blunts the activity of the branched-chain keto-acid dehydrogenase (BCKDH) enzyme complex, which decreases skeletal muscle BCAA oxidation that has been shown to occur during exercise [31]. This is further supported by the fact BCAA have been shown to Cytidine deaminase effectively suppress

exercise-induced skeletal muscle proteolysis [32]. Along with the typical resistance training adaptations such as improvements in body composition, and increases in muscle strength and myofibrillar protein content, based on the aforementioned data a nutritional supplement containing creatine, leucine, KIC, and arginine ingested in conjunction with heavy resistance training could conceivably increase muscle hypertrophy through mechanisms associated with increased muscle protein synthesis, decreased muscle proteolysis, and/or satellite cell activation. However, there is a paucity of data demonstrating the effectiveness of such a nutritional product on muscle strength and mass and satellite cell activation.