Affiliations: [a] Universidade do Vale do Paraíba-UNIVAP, Av.
Shishima Hifumi 2911 -- Urbanova, 12244-000 São José dos Campos, SP,
Brazil | [b] Facultade de Ciências da Saúde -- FCS | [c] Instituto de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento --
IP&D | [d] Laboratório Oswaldo Cruz, Rua Santa Clara 393 --
Vila AdyAnna, 12243-630 -- São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Antonio Balbin Villaverde, IP&D-
Universidade do Vale do Paraíba. Av Shishima Hifumi 2911, Urbanova,
12244-000 -- São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil. E-mail: abv@univap.br
Abstract: A decrease of the blood supply to the muscle can be significant to
the development of muscular fatigue, an important factor of incapacity. In this
study, the effect of L-arginine taken orally, on the physiologic process of the
muscular fatigue in 12 healthy volunteers, was investigated through located
exercise controlled by isokinetic dynamometer (Biodex Multi-Joint System 3
dynamometer). A protocol of the isokinetic concentric, continuous and
reciprocal test was used for acquisition of the Work Fatigue Indexes and it was
accomplished the bilateral evaluation of the knee extension and flexion of the
volunteers to an angular speed of 180°/s. The study
was divided into two phases of test, Phase 1 being the control. At Phase 2, 3 g
of arginine was given orally to each volunteer, daily for 15 days. The
reliability and the estimate of the error in our measurements were analyzed,
respectively, by Intra-class Correlation Coefficient (ICC) and Percent Standard
Error of Measurement (SEM %) Reliable isokinetic measurements were obtained in
the knee extension movement (ICC ≥ 0.80). Results
demonstrated that for knee extension movement the mean values of Work Fatigue
Indexes of Phases 1 and 2 are statistically different (p < 0.05). There was
a significant decrease (mean 8.5%) indicate an improvement in the muscular
resistance capacity to fatigue following the treatment by oral administration
of arginine.
