Grape seed extract enhances exercise performance in endurance athletes, clinical trial shows
Highlights
- Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial
- Participants include 12 college basketball players (division 1)
- Grape seed extract promotes higher intensity, longer duration exercise performance
- Effective dosage is 300 mg/day for at least 2 weeks
Summary
This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover pilot study involving division 1 college basketball players (n=12) indicates that supplementing with MegaNatural®-BP grape seed extract (GSE) improves endurance performance. The amount of GSE used was 300 mg, once daily, for 2 weeks. The researchers attributed the ergogenic effect of GSE to its ability to promote vasodilation in active skeletal muscle mediated by enhanced endothelial function.
Results indicate that, after 2 weeks of supplementation, GSE improved the following indicators of aerobic fitness:
- Compared to placebo, GSE significantly (P<.05) decreased VO2 at 80% workload and 120% workload
- Compared to placebo, GSE significantly (P<.05) increased time to exhaustion
- Compared to placebo, GSE significantly (P<.05) increased flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) by 22%
No between-group differences in the other variables across workloads were reported.
These preliminary findings suggest a once daily GSE supplement (300 mg) for as little as 2 weeks supports optimal exercise performance in elite endurance athletes. This allows an athlete to perform at a higher intensity for a longer duration before the onset of fatigue with the same energy production.
Reference
Nho H, Kim KA. Effects of Grape Seed Extract Supplementation on Endothelial Function and Endurance Performance in Basketball Players. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(21):14223. doi:10.3390/ijerph192114223
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