EVNol palm tocotrienol and whey protein isolates improve exercise endurance in obese rats
Initial results are very promising and support further studies, including a potential human clinical study in sport endurance and weight management
A new study reveals that EVNol full spectrum palm tocotrienol (T3)–supplementation and WPI (Whey Protein Isolates) prolongs running time ( enhances exercise endurance) in sedentary, diet-induced obese rats.
In this study, 35 rats were randomly assigned to four treatment groups: (i) high-fat diet, high-fat diet supplemented with (ii) T3 at dosage of 50mg/kg (EVNol, supplied by ExcelVite), (iii) WPI (8% of total energy intake) and (iv) both T3 (50mg/kg) and WPI (8% of total energy intake) respectively for 10 weeks.
Food intake, body composition, glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity, exercise capacity, glycogen content and oxidative enzyme activity of skeletal muscle were determined.
After 10 weeks of diet intervention, as expected, there were no significant changes in terms of food intake, body composition, glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity among all the groups. However, interestingly, both supplemented groups (T3 and WPI respectively) showed significant higher exercise capacity (>50% longer running time) compared with the control group.
While the T3+WPI group did not further improve exercise endurance, the WPI+T3 supplemented rats have higher endurance compared to the control group. When compared with a previous study on forced swimming rats, tocotrienol (EVNol)-supplemented groups in both studies exhibited submaximal intensity exercise endurance.
The purported benefits of tocotrienol is derived from the increase in PPAR activity (modulates fatty acid storage and glucose metabolism) and mitochondrial biogenesis (regulates metabolic activity).
'We were surprised by the benefit of T3+WPI and, when our data combines with that of the previous study, the benefits on exercise endurance are quite compelling. The mechanisms of this will be very interesting to elucidate,' says Dr Andrew Betik, Postdoctoral Researcher for the Colleges of Health & Biomedicine and Sport & Exercise Science at Victoria University of Melbourne Australia.
'Exercise generates free radicals such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) and if the level of ROS is left unchecked, it would lead to muscle fatigue or weakness in physical performance such as running, swimming and other sports activities,' says CheeYen Lau, Nutritionist at ExcelVite.
Tocotrienols: potent antioxidants
Tocotrienols, being a more potent form of vitamin E, have been reported to scavenge ROS-induced muscle fatigue effectively.
'Tocotrienol’s superior antioxidant activity explained the significant increase in exercise endurance as demonstrated in these two studies: the tocotrienol-supplemented swimming-rats and obese-rats. In addition, regulating metabolic activity (such as lactate’s production/removal, glycogen content, etc.) during and after physical performance is also important to enhance the exercise/performance capacity,' added Lau.
'Both animal studies with different physiological performances have shown that supplementation of EVNol helps to improve exercise endurance. These initial results are very promising and encouraging for our future studies, including a potential human clinical study in sport endurance and weight management,' Lau concluded.
