Preliminary Data Regarding the Effect of Protein Supplementation on Cardiovascular Adaptation to Effort

Abstract

Preparations based on whey proteins are used by practitioners of bodybuilding to support effort and increase muscle mass. We want to check the hypothesis that nitric oxide resulted from protein supplementation affects cardiovascular adaptation to effort. For this we recorded heart rate and arterial blood oxygen saturation before and after a series at pec-deck machine consists of many repetitions at the end of an exercise consisting of at least two such series. Subjects were 12 bodybuilding practitioners, both beginners and trained, users or not of protein supplements. Average heart rate increased more for the consumers of protein supplements, trained or untrained. The results suggest that supplementing with whey protein influences both immediate and the duration cardiovascular adaptation to effort owing to induce vasodilation.