L-ornithine hydrochloride ingestion increased carbohydrate oxidation but not lipid oxidation during submaximal endurance exercise following resistance exercise

This study aimed to examine the effect of L-ornithine hydrochloride ingestion on lipid oxidation during submaximal endurance exercise following resistance exercise. Ten healthy young male adults with no history of regular resistance exercise (age: 26.0 +/- 4.4) conducted resistance exercise after L-ornithine hydrochloride or placebo ingestion (0.1 g/kg). Subjects exercised for 60 min on an ergometer at 50% VO2peak 120 min after resistance exercise. Plasma ornithine concentrations measured immediately, 120min and 180min after resistance exercise in the L-ornithine hydrochloride ingestion condition were significantly greater than those in the placebo condition. No significant difference was found in serum growth hor mone concentrations between both conditions (F = 4.4, p = 0.065). Serum free fatty acid concentrations were significantly greater immediately after submaximal ergometer bicycle exercise in both conditions than those before ingestion, immediately after resistance exercise and 120min after resistance exercise (F = 43.4, p < 0.001, 300% - 508%), but no significant difference was found between both conditions (F = 3.6, p = 0.090). A similar trend was observed in serum ketone bodies as well. Although total energy production during submaximal ergometer exercise did not significantly differ (t = 0.74, p = 0.238), a significant difference was found in energy production via carbohydrate and lipid oxidation; the former was greater in the Lornithine hydrochloride ingestion condition (t = 1.89, p = 0.046, d = 0.44, 106%), and the latter was greater in the placebo condition (t = 1.89, p = 0.046, d = 0.78%, 145%). From the above, L-ornithine hydrochloride ingestion may not affect lipid metabolism during submaximal endurance exercise following resistance exercise. It may be involved in energy production via carbohydrate oxidation with glucogenic amino acid.