Adaptogens Can Improve Athletic Performance, But Dose Matters
Adaptogens, plant substances that help your body respond to stress, anxiety and fatigue, have shown promise for improving aerobic performance.
However, their influence on concurrent training (resistance training plus high intensity interval training) outcomes has not been established, until recently.
A 2021 double-blind randomized-controlled trial of 21 men completed a 14-week training program that consisted of both resistance training and high-intensity interval running.
The participants were randomly assigned to receive either a daily adaptogen supplement, containing ashwagandha, rhodiola rosea, cordyceps sinensis, green tea extract, astragalus, chromium, and vitamin B12, or a placebo.
Both groups decreased body fat percentage (-1.3%), and improved bench press (+4%) and squat strength (+8%), with no difference between the groups.
Weekly exercise performance data suggested that the adaptogen supplement improved sprint performance, bench press lifting volume, and total workload, but not overall training and performance outcomes.
Researchers note that adaptogens, eg., ashwagandha, have been shown to be beneficial to multiple aspects of physical performance, and that these benefits were not reflected in the current study possibly due to the lower doses used, compared to other studies.
This study highlights the importance of dose, for specific outcomes. And, that adaptogens may exert different effects depending on dose.
References
PMID: 33078636
