The effect of pangamic acid on maximal treadmill performance

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Nutritional Biochemistry
• Exercise Physiology

Background:

• Pangamic acid, a compound often marketed as vitamin B15, is composed of calcium gluconate and N, N-Dimethylglycine.
• Athletes and coaches frequently seek nutritional supplements to enhance athletic performance, particularly during high-intensity exercise.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of pangamic acid supplementation on maximal treadmill performance in male track athletes.
• To evaluate changes in physiological markers including heart rate, exercise duration, and blood glucose and lactate levels.

Main Methods:

• A double-blind, placebo-controlled study involving 16 male track athletes over three weeks.
• Participants were divided into an experimental group (pangamic acid) and a control group (placebo).
• Performance was assessed using the Bruce treadmill protocol before and after the supplementation period, measuring maximal heart rate, treadmill time, and recovery heart rate, alongside blood glucose and lactate levels.

Main Results:

• No statistically significant differences were observed between the pangamic acid and placebo groups in maximal heart rate, treadmill time, or recovery heart rate post-treatment.
• Blood glucose and lactate levels also showed no significant variations between the groups after the three-week supplementation period.
• Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) confirmed the lack of significant treatment effects (P > 0.05).

Conclusions:

• Ingestion of pangamic acid, as administered in this study, does not yield significant improvements in short-term maximal treadmill performance.
• The findings suggest that pangamic acid supplementation is unlikely to benefit male track athletes seeking enhanced maximal exercise capacity.