title: The effect of eight weeks of supplementation with Eleutherococcus senticosus on endurance capacity and metabolism in human.
abstract: The aim of this study was to examine the effects of Eleutherococcus senticosus (ES) supplementation on endurance capacity, cardiovascular functions and metabolism of recreationally trained males for 8 weeks. Nine recreationally trained males in college consumed 800 mg/d of ES or starch placebo (P) for 8 weeks according to a double-blind, randomized, placebo controlled and crossover design with a washout period of 4 weeks between the cycling trials. Subjects cycled at 75% VO2 peak until exhaustion. The examined physiological variables included endurance time, maximal heart rate during exhaustion exercise, VO2, rating of perceived exertion and respiratory exchange ratio. The biochemical variables including the plasma free fatty acid (FFA) and glucose were measured at rest, 15 min, 30 min and exhaustion. The major finding of this study was the VO2 peak of the subjects elevated 12% (P < 0.05), endurance time improved 23% (P < 0.05) and the highest heart rate increased 4% (P < 0.05) significantly. The second finding was at 30 min of 75% VO2 peak cycling, the production of plasma FFA was increased and the glucose level was decreased both significantly (P < 0.05) over 8-week ES supplementation. This is the first well-conducted study that shows that 8-week ES supplementation enhances endurance capacity, elevates cardiovascular functions and alters the metabolism for sparing glycogen in recreationally trained males.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Fu Jen Catholic University, Taipei, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jip
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: Kenny Wen-Chyuan
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: I-Shiung
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Pu-Hsi
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Ying-Jui
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Ning-Yuean
authors.initials: NY
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D028001:Eleutherococcus; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000097:blood; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008660:Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified