2.3. Supplement Protocol
Participants were instructed to consume two tablets (600 mg apiece) twice per day (total supplement or placebo consumed per day was 2.4 g) for the duration of the 10-week study. Participants were instructed to consume the supplement with their regular meals. The supplement and placebo were identical in appearance. The BA tablet was a sustained-release formulation, and the PL tablet consisted of the same ingredients but contained hydroxypropyl methylcellulose in place of the BA. The BA and PL tablets were provided by Natural Alternatives International (Carlsbad, CA, USA). Supplement compliance was tracked by counting the number of tablets remaining in the bottles at MID and POST testing. To remain in the final analysis, participant compliance was set at 80%.