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Quercetin's influence on exercise performance and muscle mitochondrial biogenesis
David C Nieman1, Ashley S Williams, R Andrew Shanely
1Department of Health, Leisure, and Exercise Science, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC 28608, USA. niemandc@appstate.edu
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise
|November 21, 2009
Summary
Quercetin supplementation improved exercise performance in untrained males by increasing treadmill trial distance. While mitochondrial biogenesis markers showed a trend towards increase, they were not statistically significant.
Area of Science:
- Exercise Physiology
- Nutritional Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Mitochondrial biogenesis is crucial for exercise performance.
- Quercetin, a flavonoid, has shown potential ergogenic and mitochondrial effects in some studies.
- Its impact on exercise capacity and mitochondrial adaptations in untrained individuals requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of 2-week quercetin supplementation (1000 mg/day) on exercise performance.
- To assess the influence of quercetin on skeletal muscle mitochondrial biogenesis markers.
- To compare these effects against a placebo in untrained young adult males.
Main Methods:
- Randomized, crossover design with a 2-week washout period.
- Subjects underwent 12-minute treadmill time trials after moderate exercise preloads.
- Muscle biopsies and blood samples were collected pre- and post-supplementation.
Main Results:
- Quercetin supplementation significantly increased plasma quercetin levels compared to placebo.
- A significant improvement in 12-minute treadmill time trial performance was observed with quercetin (2.9% increase).
- Trends towards increased mitochondrial DNA copy number and mRNA expression of key mitochondrial biogenesis genes were noted but not statistically significant.
Conclusions:
- Two weeks of quercetin supplementation (1000 mg/day) led to a small but significant enhancement in exercise performance in untrained males.
- Quercetin supplementation demonstrated modest, though statistically insignificant, increases in markers of skeletal muscle mitochondrial biogenesis.
- Further research is warranted to explore optimal quercetin dosage and duration for performance and mitochondrial adaptations.
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