Effect of Eleutherococcus senticosus on submaximal and maximal exercise performance
Dowling, E.A.; Redondo, D.R.; Branch, J.D.; Jones, S.; McNabb, G.; Williams, M.H.
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 28(4): 482-489
1996
ISSN/ISBN: 0195-9131 PMID: 8778554 Document Number: 457520
We investigated the effect of Eleutherococcus senticosus Maxim L (ESML) on performance during submaximal and maximal aerobic exercise. Twenty ' highly trained distance runners randomly assigned in matched pairs to either an experimental (ESML) or placebo (PL) group, participated in an 8-wk double-blind study during which they completed five trials of a 10-min treadmill run at their 10 km (10K) race pace and a maximal treadmill test (Tmax). Following a baseline trial, ESML and PL consumed, respectively, 3.4 ml of ESML extract or placebo daily for 6 wk. Subjects were tested every 2 wk during supplementation and 2 wk following withdrawal. Heart rate (HR), oxygen consumption ( ovrhdot VO-2), expired minute volume ( ovrhdot V-E), ventilatory equivalent for oxygen ( ovrhdot V-E/ ovrhdot VO-2), respiratory exchange ratio (RER), and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were measured during the 10K and Tmax tests. Resting, post-10K and post-Tmax blood samples were analyzed for serum lactate. No significant differences were observed between ESML and PL for: HR, ovrhdot VO-2, ovrhdot V-E, ovrhdot V-E/ ovrhdot VO-2, RER, or RPE; Tmax time to exhaustion; or serum lactate. The data do not support an ergogenic effect of ESML supplementation on selected metabolic, performance, or psychologic parameters associated with submaximal and maximal aerobic exercise tasks.