The Effect of 4 Weeks Treatment with a 2-gram Daily Dose of Pyruvate on Body Composition in Healthy Trained Men

Abstract

The principal aim of this study was to determine the effects of short-term (28 days) pyruvate supplementation on body composition in young healthy men. Twenty-two young (mean age, 22.2 ± 2.7 years) male soccer players were allocated to two randomly assigned groups in a placebo-controlled, double-blind design. Subjects in the pyruvate group orally ingested tablets that contained pyruvate at a dose of 2 g per day in two equal doses for 4 weeks. There were no statistically significant changes in weight and body-mass index (BMI) within or between groups (p>0.05) after the supplementation protocol. Percentage of body fat decreased similarly in both pyruvate and placebo groups after the supplementation protocol (p>0.05). There were no changes in waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), arm fat index (AFI), and total or regional muscle mass within or between groups (p>0.05). No subject reported any side effects from pyruvate or placebo treatment. The results of the present study indicate that supplementation with pyruvate during training does not significantly alter the body mass, fat, and muscle mass in healthy trained men. Pyruvate supplementation appears to be ineffective as a fat loss strategy in young athletes.