Effects of Applephenon® and ascorbic acid on physical fatigue

Received 21 December 2006; accepted 15 March 2007.

Abstract

Objective

We examined the effects of Applephenon® and ascorbic acid administration on physical fatigue.

Methods

In a double-blinded, placebo-controlled, three-way crossover design, 18 healthy volunteers were randomized to oral Applephenon® (1200 mg/d), ascorbic acid (1000 mg/d), or placebo for 8 d. The fatigue-inducing physical task consisted of workload trials on a bicycle ergometer at fixed workloads for 2 h on two occasions. During the test, subjects performed non-workload trials with maximum velocity for 10 s at 30 min (30-min trial) after the start of the test and 30 min before the end of the test (210-min trial).

Results

The change in maximum velocity between the 30- and 210-min trials was higher in the group given Applephenon® than in the group given placebo; ascorbic acid had no effect.

Conclusion

These results suggest that Applephenon® attenuates physical fatigue, whereas ascorbic acid does not.

Keywords: Physical fatigue, Applephenon®, Ascorbic acid, Antioxidants, Bicycle ergometer

a Department of Physiology, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan

b The 21st Century COE Program “Base to Overcome Fatigue” (from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the Japanese Government), Osaka, Japan

c Soiken Incorporation, Osaka, Japan

d Department of Health Science, Faculty of Health Science for Welfare, Kansai University of Welfare Sciences, Osaka, Japan

e Center for Health Care, Osaka University of Foreign Study, Osaka, Japan

Corresponding author. Tel.: +81-6-6645-3711; fax: +81-6-6645-3712.

This work was supported in part by Special Coordination Funds for Promoting Science and Technology, and the 21st Century COE Program “Base to Overcome Fatigue,” from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the Japanese Government.

PII: S0899-9007(07)00091-3

doi:10.1016/j.nut.2007.03.002

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