Identification of LDH serum levels in male Wistar rats that were given a modified tempeh-based sports drink

Protein is one of the most widely used supplements by athletes. Protein supplementation is used for both the recovery process and to improve exercise performance. One type of protein that can speed up the recovery process is branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs). BCAAs are a component that can have an impact on reducing the risk of muscle injury. BCAAs, along with citrulline and bromelain, can also reduce oxidative stress, which can cause muscle injury. This study aimed to analyze the effect of a tempeh-based sports drink on lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels of male Wistar rats. This in vivo study on 30 male Wistar rats aged 8-9 weeks weighing approximately 250 g used a posttest only control group design consisting of two control groups (K (-) and K (+)) and three treatment groups (P (1), P (2), and P (3)). The control group was given tempeh flour, and the other groups were given tempeh flour with watermelon and/or pineapple juice. All groups were subjected to exercise in the form of intense acute swimming for 30-40 minutes. The results showed that the plasma LDH levels 2 hours after treatment were significantly higher compared with the plasma LDH levels 24 hours after treatment (p = 0.0001). The difference in plasma LDH levels 2 hours and 24 hours after treatment showed a significant difference between the control group and the treatment group (p = 0.006). It can be concluded that the treatment group P (3) showed the most significant reduction in plasma LDH levels compared with the control group and other treatment groups.