Cornu cervi pantotrichum supplementation improves physiological adaptions during intensive endurance training

Cornu cervi pantotrichum (CCP), used in traditional Chinese medicine, is a well-known yang-invigorating agent with multifunctional bioactivities. We previously showed, through an acute exercise challenge, that short-term CCP supplementation improved physical activities and fatigue-associated biochemical indices. Questions about the long-term effects of CCP treatment on exercise performance and physical fatigue, as well as safety, with intensive exercise training need further research. ICR-strain mice were randomly assigned to three groups: (1) sedentary control and vehicle treatment (SC); (2) exercise training with vehicle treatment (ET); and (3) ET with CCP treatment at 4,108 mg/kg/day (ET+CCP). We assessed the physical performance, body compositions, and serum levels of lactate, ammonia, glucose and creatine kinase (CK) after an acute exercise challenge. The ET and ET+CCP groups had significantly increased grip strength and endurance swimming time, and decreased serum lactate and ammonia levels after the acute exercise challenge than the SC group. Moreover, serum ammonia and CK levels in the ET+CCP group were significantly decreased when compared to that of the ET only group. In regard to the body composition, the ET+CCP group inhibits the decrease in fat tissue, and related biochemical changes induced by the high intensity endurance training CCP supplementation combined with high-intensity endurance exercise could significantly improve the physiological adaptions related to fatigue or energy consumption and maintain the fat composition when compared to treatment with training only. Therefore, CCP may potentially improve the physiological adaptions in intensive exercise training.