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J SPORTS MED PHYS FITNESS 2010;50:57-63
Effects of chronic rhodiola rosea supplementation
on sport performance and antioxidant capacity in trained male:
preliminary results
Aim. Rhodiola Rosea, is an adaptogen plant which has been
reported to promote fatty acids utilisation, to ameliorate antiox-
idant function, and to improve body resistance to physical
strenuous efforts. The purpose of the present study was to
investigate the effects on physical performance as well as on the
redox status of a chronic Rhodiola Rosea supplementation in a
group of competitive athletes during endurance exercise.
Methods. Following a chronic supplementation with Rhodiola
Rosea for 4 weeks, 14 trained male athletes underwent a car-
dio-pulmonary exhaustion test and blood samples to evaluate
their antioxidant status and other biochemical parameters.
These data were compared with those coming from the same
athletes after an intake of placebo.
Results. The evaluation of physical performance parameters
showed that HR Max, Borg Scale level, V
.O2max and dura-
tion of the test were essentially unaffected by Rhodiola Rosea
assumption. On the contrary, Rhodiola Rosea intake reduced,
in a statistically significative manner, plasma free fatty acids lev-
els. No effect on blood glucose was found. Blood antioxidant sta-
tus and inflammatory parameters resulted unaffected by
Rhodiola Rosea supplementation. Blood lactate and plasma
creatine kinase levels were found significantly lower (P<0.05)
in Rhodiola Rosea treated subjects when compared to the place-
bo treated group.
Conclusion. Chronic Rhodiola Rosea supplementation is able to
reduce both lactate levels and parameters of skeletal muscle
damage after an exhaustive exercise session. Moreover this
supplementation seems to ameliorate fatty acid consumption.
Taken together those observation confirm that Rhodiola Rosea
may increase the adaptogen ability to physical exercise.
K
EY WORDS
: Rhodiola - Motor activity - Creatine kinase - Fatty
acids, nonesterified.
T
he administration of dietary supplement rich in
vitamins and minerals is the most common nutri-
tional supplement 1used by athletes, trainers and peo-
ple who practise fitness assiduously, in order to receive
an appropriate micronutrient intake for improving
their performance during training sessions.2-5 However,
researches carried out in the last 40 years did not
explain clearly if the use of supplements might improve
the performance or the endurance of healthy and well-
feed people.2, 6 Rodhiola Rosea (RR) belongs to
Crassulaceae family that grows peculiarly throughout
the mountainous regions in the higher latitudes and
elevations of the Northern hemisphere. Recent studies,7,
8suggested that RR may exert adaptogen activity. This
feature maybe summarised as the ability of increasing
human body’s capacity to adapt to environmental stres-
sors and to improve psychophysical capacities as well
as decreasing the levels of depression, fatigue, asthe-
nia caused by intense physical stress. In particular RR,
also known as golden root, seems to affect several
physiological mechanisms by stimulating the metab-
olism, promoting the fatty acids utilisation, having an
ergogenic function, improving the body resistance to
physical strenuous efforts and having a cardioprotec-
tive effect too.7,9, 10 While regularly performed, mod-
1Department of Health Sciences
Laboratory of Sports Medicine and Sport Related Nutrition
University of Rome “Foro Italico” – IUSM, Rome, Italy
2Department of Human Movement and Sport Sciences
Integrated Laboratory of Biology and Biochemistry of Movement
University of Rome “Foro Italico” – IUSM, Rome, Italy
Received on April 8, 2009.
Accepted fpr publication on February 24, 2010.
Corresponding author: A. Parisi, Piazza Lauro De Bosis 6, 00194 Rome,
Italy. E-mail: attilio.parisi@iusm.it
A. PARISI 1, E. TRANCHITA 1, G. DURANTI2, E. CIMINELLI1, F. QUARANTA 1, R. CECI 2,
C. CERULLI1, P. BORRIONE 1, S. SABATINI2
Vol. 50 - No. 1 THE JOURNAL OF SPORTS MEDICINE AND PHYSICAL FITNESS 57
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PARISI EFFECTS OF CHRONIC RHODIOLA ROSEA SUPPLEMENTATION ON SPORT PERFORMANCE AND ANTIOXIDANT CAPACITY
58 THE JOURNAL OF SPORTS MEDICINE AND PHYSICAL FITNESS March 2010
erate exercise is recognised to be able to exert many
beneficial effects, acute exercise can produce damage
in skeletal muscle and other tissues by increasing reac-
tive oxygen species (ROS) production and antioxi-
dant consumption.11-16 With this regard, exhaustive
exercise may lead to cellular damage induced by lipids
peroxidation.17 Endogenous enzymatic and non-enzy-
matic plasma antioxidants are involved in ROS-induced
scavenging response. Alterations of redox status, by
increased ROS production or decreased antioxidant
activity, could lead to oxidative stress damages. Several
observation suggest that RR could be able to mitigate
free radical production 18, 19 and consequentially
enhance performance.20 In those studies, RR showed
a better antioxidant capacity when compared to other
adaptogen extracts (Eleutherococcus senticosis and
Emblica officinalis).The higher polyphenol content
of RR, might explain the highest potential in singlet
oxygen scavenging as well as in hydrogen peroxide
scavenging.21 Moreover, it is known that carbohydrate
and fatty acid consumption during strenuous and
exhaustive exercise may change in respect to diet,
exercise and environment.22 It has been proposed that
RR extract may ameliorate physical performance
through the improvement of substrate consumption.23
Unfortuna-tely, scientific evidences in current litera-
ture are based mainly on animal models. Only a few
studies, with conflicting results 24-26 were performed on
humans. With this regard, it has been reported that an
acute administration of RR induces an increase in
endurance performance during water activities.23 More
recently, it has been demonstrated that the acute
assumption of RR is able to improve the performance
in endurance exercise.20 Despite those observation,
the ability of RR to improve resistance to stressor and
enhance physical performance is still a matter of debate
as well as its supposed ability of increasing adenosine
triphosphate (ATP) turnover.23, 25 Finally, it is known
that exercise-induced muscle damage frequently occurs
after exhaustive exercise. Serum levels of proinflam-
matory cytokine interleukine-6 (IL-6) and skeletal
muscle creatine kinase (CK) release, increase after
strenuous exercise.27-29 Extracts of RR exhibited an
anti-inflammatory effect reducing blood levels of C-
reactive protein and protect muscle tissue during exer-
cise reducing creatinine kinase in healthy untrained
men.30 Moreover, it has been shown that RR extracts
was able to reduce creatine kinase activity in blood
of rat exposed to stressors.31
The aim of the present study was to investigate the
effects of a chronic RR supplementation (170 mg/die)
on physical performance and redox status of a group
of competitive young male athletes engaged in
endurance disciplines. The first purpose was to eval-
uate if an appropriate RR intake was able to influence
physiological parameters like heart rate, test duration
and perception of physical exertion (obtained through
Borg Scale), and its presumed ergogenic function, by
analyzing carbohydrate and fatty acid consumption
during exhaustive exercise. The second purpose was to
analyze if RR might influence plasma redox home-
ostasis, by measuring the total antioxidant status (TAS),
plasma malonyldialdheyde (MDA) levels and in vitro
erythrocyte sensitivity (hemolysis) to oxidative dam-
age. Finally, the ability of RR extract supplementa-
tion in preventing exercise-induced inflammatory
response as well as skeletal muscle damage was eval-
uated.
Materials and methods
Subjects
Fourteen well-trained male athletes engaged in com-
petitive sport disciplines with essentially aerobic meta-
bolic work (i.e. track-and-field sports, triathlon, roller-
skating, running) were enrolled in the study. Mean
age was between 20 and 35 years (mean±SD 25±5),
height 176.82±7.35 cm, weight 69.36±9.44 kg, BMI
22.15±2.40. All subjects were regularly trained for
8.36±1.43 hours per week and they were asked to fol-
low their normal training schedules during the exper-
imental period. Individual data on the 14 athletes are
presented in Table I. The study was designed in agree-
TABLE I.—Athletes characteristics.
Age (years) Weight (Kg) Height (cm) BMI Training hours/week
Athletes 25±5 69.36±9.44 176.82±7.35 22.15±2.40 8.36±1.43
BMI: Body Mass Index.
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Vol. 50 - No. 1 THE JOURNAL OF SPORTS MEDICINE AND PHYSICAL FITNESS 59
EFFECTS OF CHRONIC RHODIOLA ROSEA SUPPLEMENTATION ON SPORT PERFORMANCE AND ANTIOXIDANT CAPACITY PARISI
ment with the Declaration of Helsinki. Athletes vol-
unteered to the study and gave their informed con-
sent, potential risks and discomforts were explained to
each subject.
Preliminary measurements
All subjects underwent a preliminary test to evalu-
ate their maximal oxygen uptake (V
.O2 max) through car-
dio-pulmonary maximal stress test at increasing loads
(40 Watt ×2 min) on a cycloergometer (Ergocard II,
ESAOTE BIOMEDICA®) linked to an ergospirome-
ter (Cardio2 MEDICAL GRAPHICS®). Before the
beginning of any test, metabolimeter was carefully
calibrated. During the test, heart rate (HR) was mon-
itored through 12 leads electrocardiogram, oxygen
consumption was monitored through metabolimeter
and blood pressure was assessed through a mercury
sphygmomanometer. The subject was monitored dur-
ing recovering period, after the effort, for five min-
utes through electrocardiogram and blood pressure
measurement. According to the international litera-
ture 32 the test was stopped when one of these situation
occurred:
— Symptoms onset;
— Complicated arrhythmias onset;
— Significant ST segment anomalies;
— Muscular exhaustion;
— Reaching of Maximal oxygen uptake.
According to the classical notion of Maximal oxy-
gen uptake, we considered it was reached when:
— The subject reached a plateau, i.e. when V
.O2
increases less than 150 mlxmin-1 , rising from a step to
the next one;
— Respiratory exchange quotient exceeded 1.08-
1.1
— The subject had more than 10 beats over HR max
for the age;
— During this test sport eligibility of these athletes
was evaluated.
Protocol
Subjects underwent a chronic supplementation with
RR (170 mg/die ) every morning for 4 weeks in a dou-
ble blinded clinical trial. To realize this chronic sup-
plementation, we selected a product containing RR
extract (85 mg/cp), in capsules containing wheat flour,
antioxidants and probiotics. Capsules used for placebo
intake contained the same mixture except for RR extract.
At the end of the 4 weeks of supplementation, athletes
underwent the 1st test. In order to standardize the char-
acteristics of the test, all subjects were asked to follow
their normal training schedules during the experimen-
tal period; the day before the test they were required to
refrain from any strenuous exercise; the athletes were
asked to avoid coffee and other stimulant beverages
and to repeat the same diet the day before the test (60%
of carbohydrates, 15% of proteins, 25% of fats), to
minimize the variation in their muscles and liver glyco-
gen concentration. On the day of the test the participants
reported to the laboratory at 8:30 a.m. after a 10-12
hours overnight fasting and then the test started at
around 9:00 a.m. The 1st test consisted in a cardio-pul-
monary exhaustion test with the cycloergometer at
75% of their V
.O2 max. Medical instruments used in the
test were the same as in the preliminary one. Heart
rate, blood pressure and oxygen uptake were moni-
tored at the beginning, during the test and at the end of
it. Venous blood samples were drown at rest, at peak of
exercise and during recovery (30th minute) of each test.
Capillary lactate blood samples were drown from ear
lobe at rest and during the recovery (3rd,6
th,9
th minutes)
since lactate blood concentration increases few minutes
after the end of exercise.33-36 After this first test, the
athletes underwent a period of wash-out for 14 days fol-
lowed by a chronic intake of placebo every morning for
4 weeks. At the end of this period, all subjects under-
went the 2nd cardiopulmonary exhaustion test with the
cycloergometer, according to the same protocol pre-
viously described. At the end of each test, athletes
underwent an assessment of intensity, fatigue and effort
they perceived during the exam through Borg Scale
which is a subjective method designed for evaluating the
effort during physical activity.
Biochemical analysis
LACTATE
Immediately after the end of each test, 50 µL cap-
illary blood was taken from ear lobe by the physician.
The area of sampling was prepared using non-alco-
holic mediwipes. Blood was collected using a
heparinised capillary tube marked at 50 µL, and imme-
diately placed into a standardised 4 µl preservative
(fluoride/EDTA reagent) to prevent coagulation. Then
the samples were evaluated through a photometric lac-
tate analyzer (Miniphotometer plus LP20, DR
LANGE®).
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60 THE JOURNAL OF SPORTS MEDICINE AND PHYSICAL FITNESS March 2010
TAS
Plasma TAS was determined spectrophotometri-
cally (734 nm) (Lambda 25, PerkinElmer, Fremont,
CA, USA), accordingly to Miller et al.37 This method
is based on the reactivity of plasmatic antioxidant
compounds relative to a 1 mM Trolox (vitamin E ana-
logue) standard.
CK
Plasma CK activity was determined spectrophoto-
metrically according to manufactory recommenda-
tions, by a manual procedure using a commercial test
kit (Greiner Diagnostic GmbH, Bahlingen-Gremany).
Briefly,50 µL plasma were incubated in Hexokinase-
Glucose 6 Phosphate-G6P Dehydrogenase buffer for
3 minutes and then NADPH production was followed
at 340 nm for further 3 minutes.
GLUCOSE (GLU)
Blood glucose was determined spectrophotometri-
callyby a manual procedure using a commercial test
kit (Greiner Diagnostic GmbH, Bahlingen-Gremany);
10 µL plasma were incubated in Hexokinase-Glucose
6 Phosphate Dehydrogenase buffer for 5 minutes and
then NADH production was determined at 340 nm.
FREE FATTY ACIDS
Unsatured free fatty acid (FFAs) levels were deter-
mined spectrophotometrically by a manual procedure
using a commercial test kit (Wako Chemicals GmbH,
Neuss-Gremany). Briefly, 50 µl plasma were incu-
bated in a Acyl-CoA-Synthetase-Oxidase-Peroxidase
buffer, and after incubation spectrophotometrically
read at 550 nm. The intensity of the red pigment devel-
oped resulted proportional to the concentration of
FFAs in the sample.
MDA
Plasma MDA levels were assayed with spec-
trophotometric methods.38 Lipid peroxidation was
quantified by measuring the formation of thiobarbituric
acid reactive substances (MDA-TBA). Briefly, 150
µL plasma were added to 25 µL 0.2% BHT and 600 µL
15% acqueous TCA in a 1.5 mL tube (Eppendorf,
Hamburg, Germany). The mixture were centrifuged at
4 000g for 15 minutes at 4 °C. 300 µL of the depro-
teinized supernatant was transferred in a Corning
Cryotube 2 mL and added with 600 µL of TBA
(0.375% in 0.25 M HCl). Samples were then heated at
100 °C for 15 minutes in boiling water. After cooling,
sample absorbance were determined spectrophoto-
metrically at 535 nm and compared to standard MDA
(1,1,3,3-tetramethoxypropane) solutions.
HEMOLYSIS
Red blood cells sensitivity to haemolysis was eval-
uated spectrophotometrically at 540 nm, by treating
erythrocytes for 3 hours with 50 mM 2,2’-azo-bis (2-
amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH) (a free-
radical initiator).39 Haemolysis was expressed on the
basis of the maximum absorbance (100%) in erythro-
cyte aliquots completely haemolysed in distilled water.
MATERIALS
All chemical reagents, unless otherwise specified,
were purchased from Sigma-Aldrich Chemical (St.
Louis, MO, USA).
Statistical analysis
All values were expressed as means ± standard devi-
ations. Statistical analysis was performed by a one-
way ANOVA for repeated measure. The statistics pro-
gram SPSS (Version 15.0 for Windows; SPSS Inc.,
Chicago, Illinois, USA) was utilized and a value of
P<0.05 was considered to be statistically significant.
Results
Effects of Rhodiola Rosea supplementation on per-
formance parameters
All performance parameters analysed were unaf-
fected by RR intake when compared to the placebo
TABLE II.—Cicloergometer preliminary results.
Time Placebo Rodhiola
Cicloergometer results
HR Max (bpm) 171±10 172±8
Borg Scale 4-5 4-5
V
.O2max (ml/kg/min) 49.86±12.75 52.61±12.35
Time of test (min) 19±9 19±11
HR Max: Maximal Heart Rate; V
.O2max: Maximal Oxygen Volume Consumption.
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EFFECTS OF CHRONIC RHODIOLA ROSEA SUPPLEMENTATION ON SPORT PERFORMANCE AND ANTIOXIDANT CAPACITY PARISI
treatment. In particular HR Max was essentially the
same in the two groups (171±10 bpm vs. 172±8 bpm).
The Borg Scale, which is an important index of the
athlete’s effort, was in both intakes between 4 and 5
(mild/hard effort). The difference between V
.O2max after
Placebo (49.86±12.75 ml/kg/min) and RR
(52.61±12.35 mL/kg/min) supplementation, and the
difference between the time of the test after Placebo
intake (19±9 min) and after RR (19±11 min) were not
statistically significative (Table II).
Effects of Rhodiola Rosea supplementation on circu-
lating glucose and FFAs levels
As expected, blood glucose increases after exhaus-
tive exercise. No differences appears after RR intake
when compared to placebo supplementation (Table
III). At rest, blood free fatty acids resulted reduced in
RR supplemented group (9.81±2.45 mg/dL plasma)
when compared to the placebo treated group
(12.41±1.21 mg/dL plasma). FFAs decrease after RR
supplementation at acme (P<0.05) and after the 30-
minute-recovery (P<0.01) (7.31±1.31 and 7.01±1.16
respectively), while in placebo group resulted unaf-
fected (Table III).
Skeletal muscle lactate, CK release and blood Il-6
determination.
RR supplementation reduces significantly (P<0.05)
the increase of lactate after 3 minutes recovery time
(160±65 % respect rest condition in RR supplement-
ed compared to 320±105 % in placebo group com-
pared to rest condition) (Table IV). CK dosages show
a significant reduction (P<0.01) after RR supplemen-
tation in control (19.35±2.96 U/L plasma for RR and
34.26±5.95 for placebo group respectively), acme
(23.50±3.96 for RR and 37.19±7.29 for placebo) and
30 minutes recovery time samples (25.70±5.24 for
RR and 35.52±4.20 for placebo) (Table IV). On the
contrary, Interleukine-6 levels resulted unaffected by
RR supplementation (Table IV).
Effects of Rhodiola Rosea supplementation on circu-
lating antioxidant status
Plasma Total Antioxidant Status, and
Manoldialdheyde levels were similar after RR sup-
plementation when compared to placebo intake (Table
V). Blood red cells resistance to oxidative stress are
comparable in both RR and placebo supplemented
subjects (Table V).
TABLE III.—Circulating glucose and free fatty acid evaluation.
Time Placebo Rodhiola
Blood Glucose (mg/dl)
Control (Rest) 73.00±4.69 78.50±4.50
Acme 86.83±2.77 85.20±4.57
30 min recovery 84.40 ± 2.74 80.25±4.44
Free Fatty Acids (FFA) (mg/dl plasma)
Control (Rest) 12.41±1.21 9.81±2.45
Acme 12.86±1.62 7.31±1.31*
30 min recovery 11.41±0.56 7.01±1.16§
*P<0.05 placebo vs. Rodhiola; §P<0.01 placebo vs. Rodhiola.
TABLE IV.—Muscle damage and inflammatory evaluation.
Time Placebo Rodhiola
Percentage increase of lactate (%)
Control (Rest) 1 1
3 min recovery 320±105 160±65*
6 min recovery 282±116 165±70
9 min recovery 144±57 97±47
Creatine kinase (U/L plasma)
Control (Rest) 34.26±5.95 19.35±2.96§
Acme 37.19±7.29 23.50±3.96§
30 min recovery 35.52±4.20 25.70±5.24§
Interleukine-6 (IL-6) (ng/L)
Control (Rest) 2.20±0.38 2.68±0.25
Acme 3.71±0.46 3.38±0.43
30 min recovery 3.20±0.28 3.75±0.37
§P<0.01 placebo vs. Rodhiola; *P<0.05 Placebo vs. Rodhiola.
TABLE V.— Blood antioxidant status evaluation.
Time Placebo Rodhiola
Total Antioxidant Status (TAS) (Trolox © mM equivalents)
Control (Rest) 0.57±0.05 0.54±0.03
Acme 0.60±0.04 0.57±0.02
30 min recovery 0.59±0.04 0.58±0.04
Manoldialdheyde (MDA) (
µ
mol/L)
Control (Rest) 0.99±0.15 1.01±0.15
Acme 1.81±0.29 2.01±0.28
30 min recovery 1.57±0.25 1.63±0.17
Haemolysis (% vs CTRL)
Control (Rest) 26.00±3.02 29.00±2.07
Acme 26.67±3.15 28.20±2.11
30 min recovery 26.20±2.43 30.75±2.45
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62 THE JOURNAL OF SPORTS MEDICINE AND PHYSICAL FITNESS March 2010
Discussion
RR,also known as golden root, appear to show
adaptogen activity and affect several physiological
mechanisms, stimulating metabolism, promoting fat-
ty acids utilisation, having an ergogenic function,
improving body resistance to physical strenuous efforts.
However, the supposed ergogenic function of RR is not
still clarified. Many studies on the ergogenic function
of RR were performed with conflicting results.24
Interestingly, different researches showed that 4 days
of treatment with RR seems to be unable to improve
physical performance in trained men 25, 26 as well as it
has been demonstrated that the acute assumption of RR
is able to improve the performance in endurance exer-
cise in humans.20 Acute RR (50 mg/d) supplementation
is able to prolong the duration of an exhaustive exer-
cise by increase of ATP turnover in rats probably due
to an increase of substrate consumption.23 In the pre-
sent study, chronic supplementation with RR (170
mg/die for 4 weeks) in well-trained male athletes did
not improve significantly all the performance bench-
marks studied. There was not any improvement of
Heart Rate or V
.O2max or the time protraction of the test
during the effort following RR supplementation. The
assessment of intensity, fatigue and effort that the ath-
letes perceived during the test, evaluated through the
Borg Scale, was substantially the same after RR or
after placebo intake. The proposed ergogenic effect
of RR might be due to an amelioration of carbohy-
drate and fatty acid consumption. With this regard,
while glucose levels were unaffected by RR intake,
in our setting a four week of RR supplementation was
able to lower fatty acids levels both at acme and in the
recovery time. This effect might be explained by a
better utilization of fatty acids, leading to a glycogen
sparing, induced by RR administration. This mecha-
nism may determine an easier recovery after physical
exercise. It is well known that while moderate physi-
cal activity has many beneficial effects, acute exer-
cise can produce damages in skeletal muscle by
increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) production
and antioxidant consumption. Alterations of redox sta-
tus caused by increased ROS production or decreased
antioxidant activity could lead to oxidative stress which
may consequently compromise physical performances.
Different studies suggested that RR is able to reduce
free radical production in in vitro 18 and in vivo 19 and
consequentially enhance physical performances.20 The
proposed mechanism relies in the higher polyphenol
content of RR which might explain the highest poten-
tial in singlet oxygen scavenging, and hydrogen per-
oxide scavenging.21 In contrast to those suggested RR
carachteristics, in our setting after an exhaustive exer-
cise, we did not found considerably changes in all the
antioxidant parameters studied. With this regard, TAS,
which includes all plasma enzymatic and non-enzy-
matic antioxidant systems, resulted unaffected by RR
supplementation. Moreover, hemolysis, which explains
erythrocytes susceptibility to oxidative stress, result-
ed comparable both in RR-and placebo-supplement-
ed subjects. As expected, plasma lipid peroxidation
increased after exhaustive exercise. However,
Malondialdehyde levels were substantially the same
both in RR and placebo supplemented subjects. In our
experimental conditions, RR chronic supplement did
not influence plasma redox homeostasis in athletes
practicing strenuous exercise with essentially aerobic
metabolic work. Skeletal muscle injury frequently
occurs after an exhaustive exercise session. Following
inflammatory conditions, serum levels of cytokine
interleukine-6 (IL-6) and skeletal muscle creatine
kinase (CK) release increase after strenuous exer-
cise.27-29 Zhu et al. demonstrated that RR extracts are
able to reduce CK activity in blood of rat exposed to
stressors.31 Abidov demonstrate that in healthy
untrained men RR extract exhibited an anti-inflam-
matory effect evidenced by a reduction of circulating
C-reactive protein thus protecting muscle tissue dur-
ing exercise as detected by lower levels of blood CK.30
After four week of supplementation with RR no dif-
ferences were evident between the two groups when
considering IL-6 levels. Remarkably, we found a low-
er increase of blood lactate levels after RR intake when
compared to placebo treated group during all the test.
Even more interestingly CK levels resulted signif-
icantly lower after RR intake even at the beginning of
the test. On account of this, we can speculate that
chronic RR supplementation not only can downsize
physical exercise-induced muscle damage, but also
prevent it.
Conclusions
Altogether these results suggest that RR supple-
mentation could be useful in sports activity practices,
and mainly in endurance sports, in order to counteract
with many physiological alterations coming from
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Vol. 50 - No. 1 THE JOURNAL OF SPORTS MEDICINE AND PHYSICAL FITNESS 63
EFFECTS OF CHRONIC RHODIOLA ROSEA SUPPLEMENTATION ON SPORT PERFORMANCE AND ANTIOXIDANT CAPACITY PARISI
essential nutrients deficiency or overproduction of
oxidant species able of inducing muscle damages.
These preliminary results are worth of attention since
they suggest to extend the study to a larger number of
subjects not only to confirm the results obtained up
to now but even to have a clearer knowledge in the
matter of other possible effects of Rhodiola Rosea
chronic administration.
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