Plain language summary
Physical inactivity has negative health consequences. Such consequences include muscle loss, weight gain, low-grade inflammation, oxidative stress and increased disease risk for metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. The development of such chronic metabolic disorders often starts at a much younger age, long before it manifests as clinical disease decades later. Endurance exercise is one way to reduce the development and progression of metabolic disease. In addition, the herb Rhodiola crenulata (RC) and fungus Cordyceps sinensis (CS) have shown to bear benefits on metabolic disease parameters. Both have long been used in Chinese medicine for their health-promoting, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. This study sought to assess whether the benefits of regular endurance training can be futher enhanced with the supplementation of RC and CS. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial enrolled 14 young sedentary adults who received an 8-week endurance training program. They also received either supplements or a placebo. Measurements and markers of body composition, oxidative stress and metabolic function were obtained before and after the intervention. The results found no difference in blood fats and oxidative stress markers between groups. In fact endurance training alone improved endurance capacity and glycemic control, but again with no particular difference between control and intervention. However, the supplementation group showed improvement in body composition with reduced body fat and increased muscle mass compared to the control group. Larger studies are needed to strengthen the results.
Abstract
Rhodiola crenulata (R) and Cordyceps sinensis (C) are commonly used herbs that promote health in traditional Chinese medicine. These two herbs have also been shown to exhibit anti-inflammation and antioxidant functions. Regular endurance training reveals potent endurance capacity, body composition improvement, and metabolic-related biomarker benefits. However, it is not known whether the combination of Rhodiola crenulata and Cordyceps sinensis (RC) supplementation during endurance training provides additive health benefits. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of 8-week endurance training plus RC supplementation on body composition, oxidative stress, and metabolic biomarkers in young sedentary adults. METHODS Fourteen young sedentary adults (8M/6F) participated in this double-blind randomized controlled study. Participants were assigned to exercise training with placebo groups (PLA, n = 7, 4M/3F; age: 21.4 ± 0.4 years) and exercise training with the RC group (RC, 20 mg/kg/day; n = 7, 4M/3F; age: 21.7 ± 0.4 years). Both groups received identical exercise training for eight weeks. The body composition, circulating oxidative stress, and blood metabolic biomarkers were measured before and after the 8-week intervention. RESULTS Improvement in body composition profiles were significantly greater in the RC group (body weight: p = 0.044, BMI: p = 0.003, upper extremity fat mass: p = 0.032, lower extremity muscle mass: p = 0.029, trunk fat mass: p = 0.011) compared to the PLA group after training. The blood lipid profile and systemic oxidative stress makers (thiobarbituric reactive substanceand total antioxidant capacity) did not differ between groups. Although endurance training markedly improved endurance capacity and glycemic control ability (i.e., fast blood glucose, insulin, and HOMA index), there were no differences in these variables between treatments. CONCLUSIONS In this preliminary investigation, we demonstrated that an 8-week RC supplementation (20 mg/kg/day) faintly enhanced endurance training-induced positive adaptations in body composition in young sedentary individuals, whereas the blood lipid profile and systemic oxidative stress states were not altered after such intervention.
Methodological quality
Jadad score
:
4
Allocation concealment
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Yes
