Effects of New Zealand Blackcurrant Extract on Sequential Performance Testing in Male Rugby Union Players

Burnett, P. and Willems, M. E. T. (2022) Effects of New Zealand Blackcurrant Extract on Sequential Performance Testing in Male Rugby Union Players. Sports (Basel, Switzerland), 10 (125). pp. 1-9. ISSN 2075-4663

[thumbnail of © 2022 The Authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ 4.0/).] Text (© 2022 The Authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ 4.0/).)
36 Burnett and Willems Sports 2022 blackcurrant rugby.pdf - Published Version
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution 4.0.

Download (864kB)

Abstract

Previous studies on performance effects by New Zealand blackcurrant (NZBC) extract used mainly a single exercise task. We examined the effects of NZBC extract in a battery of rugby un-ion–specific tests including speed, agility and strength testing. University male rugby union players (n = 13, age: 21 ± 2 years, height: 182 ± 6 cm, body mass: 87 ± 13 kg) completed two full familiarisations and two experimental visits in an indoor facility. The study had a double blind, placebo-controlled, randomised, crossover design. For the experimental visits, participants con-sumed NZBC extract (210 mg/day of anthocyanins for 7 days) or placebo with a 7-day wash-out. Testing order was the running-based anaerobic sprint test, the Illinois agility test, seated medi-cine ball (3 kg) throw, and handgrip strength. With NZBC extract, there may have been an effect for average sprint time to be faster by 1.7% (placebo: 5.947 ± 0.538 s, NZBC extract: 5.846 ± 0.571 s, d = −0.18 (trivial), p = 0.06). However, with NZBC extract there may have been reduced slowing of sprint 2 (d = −0.59 (moderate), p = 0.06) and reduced slowing for sprint 6 (d = −0.56 (moderate), p = 0.03). In the Illinois agility test, there may have also been an effect for the mean time to be faster by 1.6% (placebo: 18.46 ± 1.44 s, NZBC extract: 18.15 ± 1.22 s, d = −0.24 (small), p = 0.07). The correlation between the %change in average sprint time and %change in mean agility time was not significant (Pearson R2 = 0.0698, p = 0.383). There were no differences for the seated medicine ball throw distance (p = 0.106) and handgrip strength (p = 0.709). Intake of NZBC extract in rugby union players seems to improve tasks that require maximal speed and agility but not muscle strength. NZBC blackcurrant extract may be able to enhance exercise performance in team sports that require repeated movements with high intensity and horizontal change of body position without affecting muscle strength.

Publication Type: Articles
Uncontrolled Keywords: polyphenols; anthocyanins; exercise; sport
Subjects: G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GV Recreation Leisure > GV557 Sports
Q Science > QP Physiology
R Medicine > RC Internal medicine > RC1200 Sports Medicine
Divisions: Academic Areas > Institute of Sport > Area > Exercise Physiology
Academic Areas > Institute of Sport > Research Theme > Enhancing Sport Performance
Academic Areas > Institute of Sport > Research Theme > Health and Well-Being
Academic Areas > Institute of Sport > Research Theme > Nutritional Supplementation
Research Entities > Centre for Health and Allied Sport and Exercise Science Research (CHASER)
Related URLs:
Depositing User: Mark Willems
Date Deposited: 17 Oct 2022 14:01
Last Modified: 11 Jun 2024 08:57
URI: https://eprints.chi.ac.uk/id/eprint/6520

Actions (login required)

View Item
View Item
▲ Top

Our address

I’m looking for