The effect of HMB-FA supplementation on hormonal responses and recovery of elite wrestlers during the simulated wrestling protocol

It seems that the use of nutritional supplements can affect the secretion of anabolic and catabolic hormones during exercise-recovery process. The purpose of the present study was to determine the effect of beta-hydroxy beta methyl butyrate supplement in free acid form (HMB-FA) on hormonal responses and recovery in the wrestling-specific protocol (WSP) in wrestlers for one night and one day.

Twenty male wrestlers were selected and randomly divided into two groups: supplement-exercise (n=10) and placebo-exercise (n=10) groups. Each of the groups received a supplement or placebo at 3 g/day. The subjects repeated the WSP five times, each consisting of four sections. To measure serum insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), and cortisol (Cort), IGF-1/Cort ratio blood samples were taken before and after taking the supplement, immediately after the first repetition of the WSP, immediately after the third repetition of the WSP and immediately after the fifth repetition of the WSP. The perceived recovery status (PRS) was assessed immediately before the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth repetitions of the WSP. Results were extracted using analysis of covariance and analysis of variance with repeated measures at a significance level of p<0.05.

The results showed that serum levels of IGF-1 after supplementation (p=0.001) and after the first (p=0.004), third (p=0.004) and fifth (p=0.01) of the WSP were significantly higher in HMB-FA group than placebo group. Moreover, serum levels of IGF-1/Cort after supplementation (p=0.001) and after the first (p=0.001), third (p=0.003) and fifth (p=0.001) of the WSP were significantly increased in the HMB-FA group as compare to the placebo group. However, cortisol indicated a higher increase in the placebo group than HMB-FA group after supplementation (p=0.006) and also after first (p=0.002), third (p=0.008) and fifth (p=0.002) of WSP. On the other hand, PRS in the placebo group showed a greater decrease than the HMB-FA group before the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth of WSP (p<0.05).

It seems that HMB-FA supplementation improves hormonal responses during the simulated wrestling protocol.