Effects of Vespa Amino Acid Mixture (VAAM) Isolated from Hornet Larval Saliva and Modified VAAM Nutrients on Endurance Exercise in Swimming Mice — Improvement in Performance and Changes of Blood Lactate and Glucose —

Abstract

For endurance exercise in swimming mice, 1.8% VAAM (Vespa amino acid mixtiure) which has the same amino acid components as hornet (Vespa mandarinia) larval saliva, 1.8% casein amino acid mixture (CAAM), 10% glucose, or amino acid mixtures in which the amino acids were varied while maintaining the same molar ratio as VAAM were administered orally to mice. Mice recieving 1.8% VAAM showed significantly longer maximum swimming times than mice receiving other nutrients. Among these nutrients, mixtures of proline, glycine, and essential amino acid mixture (EAAM) from the VAAM component, showed maximum times near those with VAAM. In swimming exercise in mice carring of 0.3g tail weight, mice administered 1.8% VAAM showed lower blood lactate concentrations and higher blood glucose concentrations than mice recieving other nutrients. Mice recieving 1.8% VAAM also had lower lactate concentrations in muscle as well as blood. This suggests that VAAM suppresses lactate production and glucose catabolism during exercise. The effects of hornet larval saliva were stronger than those of VAAM. VAAM therefore showed the major effect of the saliva. The results suggest that VAAM improves physiological condition during endurance exercise. A positive correlation was observed between the blood concentrations of lactate and glucose in exercising mice administered various nutrients (r =0.779). This suggests metabolic equilibration between glucose and lactate during exercise. A positive correlation (r=0.507) was also found between the maximum swimming time and blood glucose concentration. Maximum swimming times were highest at low (Ca. 2.5mMol) and high (Ca. 4.0mMol) blood lactate concentrations in high blood glucose concentrations. These facts support that glucose homeostasis is important in prolonged exercise. © 1995, The Japanese Society of Physical Fitness and Sports Medicine. All rights reserved.