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Posted on 03/27/2024 8:32:30 PM PDT by ConservativeMind
Competitive athletes are always looking for an extra edge. According to a study, they can find one in the common cranberry.
In a series of trials involving trained distance runners, the researchers found that ingesting a cranberry supplement for 28 consecutive days led to noticeable improvements in both performance and muscle fatigue following 1,500-meter time trials. Reoxygenation rates were faster, and running speeds improved by 1.5 percent.
The researchers recruited 14 high-level runners from Concordia's varsity track and field team and from two Montreal running clubs, who are performing at least five hours of endurance training a week.
The athletes ran two time trials over three separate visits, one a 1,500-meter, the other a 400-meter. The first visit was used as a baseline. At the second, they were given a single large dose of cranberry extract two hours before running. The athletes were then instructed to consume a small dose of cranberry extract daily for 28 days, after which they repeated the runs for a third time.
"We selected these distances to test the effects the cranberry extract had on different energy systems," says Francis Parenteau, a Ph.D. candidate.
Following data analysis, the researchers found that 28 days of cranberry extract consumption demonstrated a trend toward increased speed in the 1,500-meter time trial but not in the 400-meter. However, they did notice that lactate buildup was reduced following the 400-meter but not the 1,500-meter compared to baseline.
The data also indicated that the cranberry extract promoted better oxygen extraction by the muscle, improved lactate clearance, and slower muscle deoxygenation.
Cranberries are extraordinarily rich in polyphenols, a natural compound with antioxidant properties. These characteristics help protect the body from the harmful effects of free radical molecules produced by strenuous exercise.
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
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