Dietary gamma-aminobutyric acid enhances endurance exercise capacity through mechanisms involving activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1 alpha

Abstract

Dietary gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) provides physiological benefits and has been extensively studied for its metabolic effects such as reducing stress, hypertension, improving sleep and cognitive function. However, its effects, when combined with exercise training, on endurance exercise capacity remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to investigate the combined effects of dietary GABA supplementation and exercise training on endurance performance in mice and explore its underlying mechanisms. Mice were divided into four groups: (1) control (standard diet, no training), (2) GABA (GABA-supplemented diet, no training), (3) training (standard diet, treadmill training), and (4) GABA-training (GABA-supplemented diet, treadmill training). Skeletal muscle samples were analyzed for molecular and metabolic changes. The findings demonstrated that dietary GABA supplementation significantly increased the treadmill endurance time, with the most pronounced effect observed in the GABA-training group. Mechanistic analysis revealed that these endurance improvements were associated with enhanced activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1 alpha (PGC-1α), glycogen storage, and mitochondrial biogenesis in skeletal muscle. These findings suggest that dietary GABA supplementation enhances exercise-induced adaptations and endurance performance by modulating key metabolic pathways and may serve as a valuable dietary supplement for athletes and physically active individuals seeking to improve endurance capacity.