New Zealand blackcurrant (NZBC) provided exercise-induced physiological, metabolic and cardiovascular responses in studies with female and male Caucasian recreationally active individuals and case studies in ultra-endurance male athletes.

PURPOSE: We examined 2-3 weeks before marathon competition the effects of 7-day intake of NZBC extract (420 mg of anthocyanins·day-1) during 1 hour of treadmill running in a Southeast Asian female endurance athlete living and training in Thailand (age: 48 years, BMI: 19.3 kg·m-2, V ̇O2max: 44.4 mL·kg-1·min-1, 28 marathons since 2017, 2022 Boston: <3:17).

METHODS: Non-invasive hemodynamic monitoring (PhysioFlow®) and breath-by-breath technology (Cortex Metalyzer 3B) were used during a 60-min (~24.5 °C, relative humidity: ~42%) treadmill run at 50%V ̇O2max (7.5 km·h-1) with blood lactate (Lactate Pro 2) taken 3 min on completion. Study was single-blind and placebo-controlled with a light breakfast 3 hours and the final dose taken 2 hours before starting the treadmill run.

RESULTS: With NZBC extract, systemic vascular resistance was lower by 24% (PL: 417±35, NZBC extract: 319±19 dyn·s·cm-5, P<0.01), stroke volume was higher by 9% (PL: 122±9, NZBC extract: 133±8 mL, P=0.006), cardiac output was higher by 10% (PL: 14.39±1.23, NZBC extract: 15.76±0.97 L·min-1, P=0.004), oxygen uptake was higher by 6% (PL: 1202±27, NZBC extract: 1275±21 mL·min-1, P<0.01), carbohydrate oxidation was higher by 43% (PL: 0.419±0.086, NZBC extract: 0.599±0.097 g·min-1, P<0.01), fat oxidation was lower by 7% (PL: 0.437±0.043, NZBC extract: 0.407±0.043 g·min-1, P<0.01), respiratory exchange ratio higher by 0.03 units (PL: 0.78±0.02, NZBC extract: 0.81±0.02, P<0.01), with heart rate similar (PL: 118±3, NZBC extract: 118±2 beats·min-1, P=0.14). Following the run, lactate was lower by 60% (PL: 1.7±0.1, NZBC extract: 0.7±0 mMol·L-1).

CONCLUSIONS: Seven-day intake of 420 mg of blackcurrant anthocyanins provided beneficial cardiovascular responses during exercise in a Southeast Asian endurance female athlete with substantial lower lactate on completion of the 1 hour run. Future work is required in marathon-trained athletes whether a high dose (i.e. 420 mg anthocyanins) can provide a nutritional ergogenic effect for marathon athletes to enhance running performance.