Panax notoginseng supplementation enhances physical performance during endurance exercise

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Nutritional Science
• Human Physiology

Background:

• Endurance exercise capacity is a key metric in sports science.
• Investigating natural supplements for performance enhancement is an active area of research.
• Panax notoginseng (PNG) is a traditional herb with potential physiological benefits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if a 1,350-mg daily dose of Panax notoginseng (PNG) enhances aerobic capacity and endurance in young adults.
• To assess the effect of PNG supplementation on mean blood pressure (MAP) during exercise.
• To evaluate changes in oxygen consumption (Vo2) during endurance exercise following PNG supplementation.

Main Methods:

• A 30-day randomized controlled trial involving 29 untrained adults (aged 20-35).
• Participants were assigned to either an experimental group (1,350 mg/day PNG) or a control group (placebo).
• Measurements of endurance time, MAP, and Vo2 were taken before and after the 30-day intervention.

Main Results:

• The PNG group showed a significant improvement in endurance time to exhaustion (>7 minutes).
• Maximal MAP was significantly lowered in the PNG group post-supplementation.
• Oxygen consumption (Vo2) at the 24th minute of exercise was significantly reduced in the PNG group.

Conclusions:

• Daily supplementation with 1,350 mg of Panax notoginseng for 30 days enhances endurance time to exhaustion in young adults.
• PNG supplementation can lead to a reduction in mean blood pressure and oxygen consumption during endurance exercise.
• Panax notoginseng may be a beneficial supplement for improving exercise performance and physiological responses in untrained individuals.