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CurraNZ blackcurrant extract can lower exercise-related fatigue factors by 40% during cycling in a competition-ready Ironman athlete, according to a first-ever case study of its kind1.
The blackcurrant extract supplement, CurraNZ®, also lowered the athlete’s heart rate and his level of perceived exertion during four hours of constant-power cycling.
This is the first study to show the acute, adaptive power of the berry extract for influencing factors that underpin performance in highly trained athletes.
The placebo-controlled, randomized, cross-over single-blind study showed that 4 capsules (1200mg) of blackcurrant extract, two hours before the testing session:
Earlier cohort studies have shown that longer intake at lower doses can improve performance up to an impressive 11% after 7-days intake of 300mg-600mg 2-10.
It was the first time that researchers have tested one-dose effects of 1200mg of the proprietary CurraNZ 35% blackcurrant anthocyanin extract in a super-fit endurance athlete.
Professor Mark Willems, who led the study at the University of Chichester, says, “this is an exciting step forward in our understanding of blackcurrant.
“We were delighted to be able to test this athlete three weeks before Ironman Barcelona in 2023 – it isn’t often we can access these athletes.
“He already had a high degree of training adaptations required to complete Ironman - so we certainly weren’t expecting to see these outcomes.
“Here, blackcurrant has really moved the needle on key factors related to performance in a race-fit Ironman triathlete. While we didn’t test performance, these outcomes, and the fact that he found the effort less hard with blackcurrant, show the supplement may be beneficial for competition - it is very exciting, unique and novel.
“Interestingly, this individual was a volunteer in earlier blackcurrant performance studies that used lower doses and he wasn’t a clear responder. While things change over time, it suggests that perhaps one dose of four capsules of extract really hits the ‘sweet spot’.”
The 49-year-old athlete, a veteran of 14 Ironman events in 16 years, followed a personalized fuelling strategy of eight energy and carbohydrate gels, bananas and water ad libitum.
Metabolic and heart rate measurements, blood samples and expired air were collected every 60 minutes.
Willems: ‘Reducing heart rate by ten beats a minute is A LOT’
Reflecting on the athlete’s lower perceived exertion and heart rate, Professor Willems says, “lowering the heart rate by ten beats per minute across four hours of constant-power cycling is a lot.
“One likely explanation is the supplement optimised blood flow and when that happens, the body works less hard to circulate blood.
“A lower heart rate is a good sign because in long duration exercise, especially in hot conditions, because you get cardiovascular drift over time, depending on the intensity of the exercise. It’s common to see the heart rate getting higher and higher as the exercise protocol goes on, so a lower starting point means you can go for longer before you reach the point where intensity of exercise is not comfortable anymore.
“The athlete’s experience of the two testing sessions reflected this too – it was very obvious to him when he was using blackcurrant, it was much less difficult than the placebo session.”
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