Running Economy and Maximal Oxygen Consumption After 4 Weeks of Oral Echinacea Supplementation

Authors

Malcolm T. Whitehead, Arkansas State UniversityFollow
Tyler D. Martin, Troy UniversityFollow
Timothy P. Scheett, College of CharlestonFollow
Michael J. Webster, University of Southern MississippiFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-1-2012

Department

Kinesiology

School

Kinesiology and Nutrition

Abstract

Whitehead, MT, Martin, TD, Scheett, TP, and Webster, MJ. Running economy and maximal oxygen consumption after 4 weeks of oral Echinacea supplementation. J Strength Cond Res 26(7): 1928–1933, 2012—The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effects of 4 weeks of oral Echinacea (ECH) supplementation on erythropoietin (EPO), red blood cell (RBC) count, running economy (RE), and V[Combining Dot Above]O₂max. Twenty-four men aged 24.9 ± 4.2 years, height 178.9 ± 7.9 cm, weight 87.9 ± 14.6 kg, body fat 19.3 ± 6.5% were grouped using a double-blind design and self-administered an 8,000-mg·d⁻¹ dosage of either ECH or placebo (PLA) in 5 × 400 mg × 4 times per day for 28 days. Blood samples were collected and analyzed for RBCs and EPO using automated flow cytometery and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Maximal graded exercise tests (GXTs) were administered to measure V[Combining Dot Above]O₂max, RE, and heart-rate responses. Analysis of variance was used to determine statistically significant differences (P ≤ 0.05). The EPO increased significantly in ECH at 7 days (ECH: 15.75 ± 0.64, PLA: 10.01 ± 0.73 mU·ml⁻¹), 14 days (ECH: 18.88 ± 0.71, PLA: 11.02 ± 0.69 mU·ml⁻¹), and 21 days (ECH: 16.06 ± 0.55, PLA: 9.20 ± 0.55 mU·ml⁻¹). V[Combining Dot Above]O₂max increased significantly in ECH (ECH: 1.47 ± 1.28, PLA: −0.13 ± 0.52%). Running economy improved significantly in ECH as indicated by a decrease in submaximal V[Combining Dot Above]O₂ during the first 2 stages of the GXT (stage 1: ECH −1.50 ± 1.21, PLA 0.60 ± 1.95%; stage 2: ECH −1.67 ± 1.43, PLA 0.01 ± 1.03%). These data suggest that ECH supplementation results in significant increases in EPO, V[Combining Dot Above]O₂max, and running economy.

Publication Title

Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research

Volume

26

Issue

7

First Page

1928

Last Page

1933

Recommended Citation

Whitehead, M. T., Martin, T. D., Scheett, T. P., Webster, M. J. (2012). Running Economy and Maximal Oxygen Consumption After 4 Weeks of Oral Echinacea Supplementation. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 26(7), 1928-1933.
Available at: https://aquila.usm.edu/fac_pubs/214