title: Panax ginseng and Salvia miltiorrhiza supplementation during eccentric resistance training in middle-aged and older adults: A double-blind randomized control trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Muscle damage induced by an acute bout of eccentric exercise results in transient arterial stiffening. In this study, we sought to determine the effects of progressive eccentric resistance exercise training on vascular functions, and whether herb supplementation would enhance training adaptation by ameliorating the arterial stiffening effects.
  
  
  METHODS
  By using a double-blinded randomized placebo-controlled design, older adults were randomly assigned to either the Panax ginseng and Salvia miltiorrhiza supplementation group (N=12) or the placebo group (N=11). After pre-training testing, all subjects underwent 12 weeks of unilateral eccentric-only exercise training on knee extensor.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Maximal leg strength and muscle quality increased in both groups (P<0.05). Relative increases in muscle mass were significantly greater in the placebo group than in the herb supplement group. Eccentric exercise training did not elicit any significant changes in muscle damage, oxidative and inflammatory biomarkers. There were no significant changes in blood pressure or endothelium-dependent vasodilation. None of the measures of arterial stiffness changed significantly with eccentric resistance training in both groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that Chinese herb supplementation does not appear to modulate vascular, and inflammatory adaptations to eccentric exercise training in middle-aged and older adults. However, Chinese herb supplementation abolished the increase in muscle mass induced by eccentric resistance training. (Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02007304. Registered Dec. 5, 2013).
authors.affiliation: Department of Athletics, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Rd., Taipei 10617, Taiwan; Department of Kinesiology and Health Education, The University of Texas at Austin, 2109 San Jacinto Blvd., D3700, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
authors.forename: Hsin-Fu
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Physical Education Office, National Taipei University of Technology, No. 1, Sec 3, Zhongxiao E. Rd., Taipei 10608, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chun-Chung
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.affiliation: Department of Athletics, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Rd., Taipei 10617, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsiao-Han
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Chao
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology and Health Education, The University of Texas at Austin, 2109 San Jacinto Blvd., D3700, Austin, TX 78712, USA. Electronic address: htanaka@austin.utexas.edu.
authors.forename: Hirofumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tanaka
mesh_terms: D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000379:methods; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000187:drug effects*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000187:drug effects*; D005894:Panax; D055070:Resistance Training / Q000379:methods; D027561:Salvia miltiorrhiza
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal
keywords: Arterial stiffness; Exercise; Herbal medicine; Muscle hypertrophy