Abstract

A double-blind study was conducted on 14 well-trained amateur cyclists, forming the same team, in order to assess the effects on training and endurance performance of a natural product containing ginseng, with adaptogenic and anti-stress action, and fenu-greek, an iron containing substance. The subjects were randomly arranged in two groups, one with an intake 0.5 g ginseng and 0.5 g of fenu-greek orally administered twice a day for 30 days, the other with a placebo. All subjects trained in this period in the same way. At the beginning the two groups showed no differences in anthropometric, functional parameters and hematological status. The group, that had assumed the natural product, significantly increased blood ferritin (P<0.05), respiratory exchange rate and anaerobic threshold. Moreover VO2max (P<0.01), VEmax and maximal work increased without variation of blood lactate. This could depend on a better local aerobic metabolism, that comprises an increased carbohydrate utilisation and a reduced lactate formation, with improvements in anaerobic threshold and in maximal work. Verf.-Referat