The Effect of Blood Flow Restriction With and Without Arginine on Physical Performance and Growth Hormone
Condition: Blood Flow Restriction; Growth Hormone; Strength Outcomes; Arginine
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The current study will investigate the effects of Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) training and
      L-arginine supplementation on recreationally trained female participants. In particular, it
      will compare performance outcomes and blood markers among two intervention groups (BFR and
      BFR+Arg) and a control group (CON).
    

Detailed description: 
      The current study will investigate the effects of Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) training and
      L-arginine supplementation on recreationally trained female participants. In particular, it
      will compare performance outcomes and blood markers among two intervention groups (BFR and
      BFR+Arg) and a control group (CON). All group will participate in the same training regimen.
      The control group will train and ingest a placebo pill. The BFR group will train with BFR and
      ingest a placebo pill, and the BFR+Arg group will train with BFR and ingest an L-arginine
      pill. All placebo pills will be Maltodextrin. The performance outcome is leg press 1RM, while
      the blood markers are growth hormone (GH) and cortisol. This analysis will provide insight as
      to whether or not L-arginine supplementation in addition to blood flow restriction training
      improves performance and muscle hypertrophy measure more than blood flow restriction training
      alone.
    

Intervention name(s): BFR; Arginine; Placebo Pill
Intervention type(s): Procedure; Dietary Supplement; Dietary Supplement
Intervention description(s): Blood flow restriction (BFR) training is a non-invasive technique that uses wraps, bands, or inflated blood pressure cuffs to change blood flow within targeted muscles. Occlusion pressure of the femoral artery will be determine before each training session using the Delfi Personalize Tourniquet System for Blood Flow Restriction (2.0) which has embedded ultrasound technology to continually measure the blood flow and with auto-adjust the pressure. The target percent of occlusion is 50% of total blood flow while completed a prescribed resistance training regimen 4 times per week.; The BFR+Arg group will consume Arginine supplement daily throughout the course of the study. Supplements were manufactured by Kyowa, a US-based cGMP-compliant contract manufacturing facility independently audited and pre-qualified by the quality compliance firm, Obvium*Q, LLC (Dallas, TX). Manufacturing batch records for production of each of the supplements were maintained by the manufacturer and finished supplements were independently assayed for identity, purity, potency, and composition using appropriate USP, AOAC, or BAM methods at the independent, analytical laboratory, Dyad Labs (Salt Lake City, UT), prior to approval for release and consumption of the supplements by participants.
Each serving of the supplements were formulated to contain 3,000 mg L-Arginine (ARG; Kyowa). Each supplement also contained the inert and non-insulinotropic excipient ingredients, microcystalline cellulose and silicon dioxide.; The CON and BFR groups will consume placebo pill daily throughout the course of the study. Supplements were manufactured by Kyowa, a US-based cGMP-compliant contract manufacturing facility independently audited and pre-qualified by the quality compliance firm, Obvium*Q, LLC (Dallas, TX). Manufacturing batch records for production of each of the supplements were maintained by the manufacturer and finished supplements were independently assayed for identity, purity, potency, and composition using appropriate USP, AOAC, or BAM methods at the independent, analytical laboratory, Dyad Labs (Salt Lake City, UT), prior to approval for release and consumption of the supplements by participants.
Each serving of the supplements were formulated to contain 3,000 mg Maltodextrin placebo (PLA; MALTRIN-M100; Grain Processing Corporation; Muscantine, IA). Each supplement also contained the inert and non-insulinotropic excipient ingredients, microcystalline cellulose and silicon dioxide.
Other intervention name(s): Maltodextrose
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Basic Science
Keywords: blood flow restriction; growth hormone; strength outcomes; arginine