Grandhi A et al (29) studied the swimming time of mice that took either Ginseng or Ashwagandha. Both of the herbal agents led to improvements on swimming time, but the Ashwagandha group was noted to increase their body size more than the Ginseng group.
Ashwagandha for Resistance Training and Power Lifting
Wankhede S et al (30) performed an 8 week randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial with Ashwagandha. The study included 57 men between 18 and 57 years old who were given 300 mg of Ashwagandha root extract twice daily or a starch placebo. The 2 groups were tested for their 1 repetition maximum in the bench press and the leg extension. The Ashwagandha group showed a significant average increase in strength of 46 kg compared to 26.4 kg in the control group. The additional benefits of the Ashwagandha group over the placebo group included larger arms and chest size, lower creatine kinase levels, and lower body fat percentage.
Pycnogenol for Endurance Training
Vinciguerra G et al (31) studied the use of Pycnogenol at a dose of 50 mg twice daily by 74 male and female athletes age 35 to 55 performing the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) for 8 weeks. After 8 weeks of performing the APFT, the athletes on Pycnogenol were able to improve their 2 mile running time, do more push-ups, and do more sit-ups on average compared to the improvements made by the control group without Pycnogenol. See the improvements below.
|
Female Groups
|
Push-ups before/after
8 weeks
|
Sit-ups before/after 8 weeks
|
2 mile run before/after 8 weeks
|
|
Control group
|
31/34.1
|
61.2/64.2
|
17 min, 20 s/17 min, 3 s
|
|
Pycnogenol group
|
31.2/39
|
61.2/67
|
18 min, 2 s/16 min 3, s
|
|
Male Groups
|
Push-ups before/after
8 weeks
|
Sit-ups before/after 8 weeks
|
2 mile run before/after 8 weeks
|
|
Control group
|
58.2/62.2
|
63.2/67.3
|
16 min, 6 s/15 min, 34 s
|
|
Pycnogenol group
|
56/69
|
63.2/73.2
|
16 min, 8 s/14 min, 11 s
|
Charts above adapted from Vinciguerra G et al.
A second phase of the trial was done on the same group of athletes with a higher dose of 50 mg 3 times daily with meals for a triatholon. The performance of the 74 subjects were compared to 73 controls. After 4 weeks of the treatment, the triatholon was completed by the Pycnogenol group by an average of 89 min and 4 seconds (a total of 6 minutes and 12 seconds faster). In comparison, the control group completed it in 96 min, 5 sec on average. The control group improved their time by 4 min, 36 sec and the Pycnogenol group improved their time by 10 min, 48sec on average. There were no side effects from Pycnogenol.
Summary: Supplements for Endurance and Muscle Building
- Most supplements marketed for “performance enhancements” are not backed by evidence-based research and are advertised through the media while promoting false benefits. The majority of these are not regulated by the FDA, and are not clear on a standardized content of ingredients. They also may not contain what the label states. Caution is advised when taking supplements for athletic performance. Obtain approval from a physician prior to starting any substance.
- Caffeine used by athletes without any medical problems may result in a small benefit in endurance sports when even a small time improvement can be important. The dose range of caffeine used in studies was 1.5 – 5 mg per kilogram and greater benefit was seen in especially colder compared to warmer surrounding temperatures. Caffeine intake up to 300 mg per day is generally safe for healthy adults. Older patients or those with hypertension, cardiovascular disease, or cerebrovascular disease, avoid more than 1-2 cups of caffeinated beverages per day. Caffeine intake is generally recognized as safe by the FDA and AMA but can be dangerous with adverse effects such as high bp, stroke, and arrythmias reported. See adverse effects below. If more than 1-2 cups of caffeinated beverages are consumed per day, it is prudent to seek physician and/or pharmacist approval of caffeine consumption with any medications or supplements. Please see caffeine section for more detail.
- Beet juice taken in the amount of 0.5 liters (17 ounces) for 6 – 9 days prior reduced oxygen requirements as measured by VO2 max and increased time to failure in endurance athletes. Beet root juice may reduce blood pressure. Beet juice increases plasma nitrate levels and dangerous drop in blood pressure may occur if taken with other nitrate medications such as sublingual nitroglycerin, nitroglycerin paste, nitroglycerin patches, Imdur, Isordil, and Viagra.
- Beet juice concentrate containing nitrates at a dose of 400 mg taken daily for 6 days allowed athletes to lift weight with a higher number of repetitions and 18.9% more weight than a blackcurrant placebo (32).
- Creatine enhances muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance training. Creatine has been taken at a dose of 0.1 mg per kilogram or as a loading dose of 20 to 30 grams divided in 4 equal doses for 5 to 7 days, followed by a 2 gram per day maintenance dose. Adverse effects may be more frequent with the loading regimen. Both regimens result in significant improvement of muscle strength and hypertrophy in younger and older adults. Lean muscle increased in older men even at the average age of 70.4 years in one study after taking creatine for 3 days Creatine significantly increased body mass, thigh muscle volume, and sprint performance. Creatine may increase bone density by improving muscle size and strength. Creatine should only be considered under a physician’s direction. Kidney function will require to be evaluated prior to taking creatine and should be monitored during use. Reports have linked creatine to weight gain, cramping, dehydration, diarrhea, and dizziness and may decrease renal function. In short-term trials creatine appears to well tolerated. Therefore, individuals should carefully weigh the benefits and risks of using creatine supplement, including possible renal dysfunction.
- Whey, casein, and soy protein each contribute to muscle growth and hypertrophy when taken along with resistance training. Whey is superior in this regard and may reduce cholesterol a small amount more than resistance training alone. Whey protein and creatine taken together have additive effects to muscle growth.
- High dose caffeine contributed to improved performance by allowing better muscle contraction velocity but safety has not been studied.
- Coenzyme Q10 improved athletic performance in only 1 out of 5 studies in a review by the Australian Sports Commission. Coenzyme Q10 improved exercise capacity in 6 out of 11 studies reviewed by Rosenfeldt F, et al. The is supplement is safe and would not cause harm if tried for this purpose but is not likely to result in benefit unless the athlete is malnourished or undergoing prolonged strenuous exercise.
- Garlic use has shown evidence in reducing exercise-induced muscle damage with reductions in creatine kinase over placebo (26).
- 8 grams of citrulline malate given to male subjects resulted in performance of 52.92% more repetitions in later sets and a decrease of 40% in muscle soreness at 24 hours and 48 hours after the training session. Stomach discomfort was the only adverse effect reported in 14.63%.
- Ashwagandha for Competitive Sports: Shweta et al (28) found performance improved in an Ashwagandha group over placebo with an increase of 13% in VO2 max. After 8 weeks, the time to exhaustion improved from 15.79 min to 16.93 min in the Pycnogenol group and minimally in the placebo group. Grandhi A et al (29) studied the swimming time of mice that took either Ginseng or Ashwagandha. Both herbal agents led to improvements on swimming time, but the Ashwagandha group also increase body size more. Wankhede S et al (30) found that 300 mg of Ashwagandha root extract twice daily increased the amount of weight lifted by 46 kg compared to 26.4 kg. The Ashwagandha group also developed larger arms, larger chest size, lower creatine kinase, and lower body fat percentage compared to placebo.
- Pycnogenol for Endurance Training: Vinciguerra G et al (31) found that Pycnogenol at a dose of 50 mg twice daily improved 2 mile running time, amount of push-ups, and amount of sit-ups. A higher dose of 50 mg 3 times daily with meals for a triatholon. The triatholon was completed by the Pycnogenol group by an average of 89 min and 4 seconds vs 96 min, 5 sec on average by the controls. The control group improved their time by 4 min, 36 sec and the Pycnogenol group improved their time by 10 in, 48 sec on average. There were no side effects from Pycnogenol.
- Please see resistance training and aerobic exercise sections.
References for Supplements for Endurance and Muscle Building
1.Vahedi K, Domigo V, Amarenco P, Bousser MG. Ischaemic stroke in a sportsman who consumed MaHuang extract and creatine monohydrate for body building. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2000 Jan;68(1):112-3. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1760579/pdf/v068p00112.pdf