The efficacy of SPORT as a dietary supplement on performance and recovery in trained athletes

Can J Appl Physiol. 2000 Feb;25(1):55-67. doi: 10.1139/h00-004.

Abstract

This study investigated the efficacy of SPORT (a popular dietary supplement) in improving performance and assisting recovery in 9 trained athletes. In a double-blind, crossover experiment, subjects ran at workloads of 60 and 80% of peak oxygen uptake (Peak VO2) for 5 min each with 5 min recovery after each bout and at 100% Peak VO2 until exhaustion. Two capsules of either SPORT or a gelatin placebo were administered 1 hr prior to exercise and immediately after each workload. Heart rate (HR) and blood lactate (BLa) were measured at 1 hr prior to exercise, immediately after the 100% exercise bout and at 5, 10, 20, and 45 min during recovery. No significant differences between treatments on HR and BLa measures at any of the 6 time periods, or on subjects' time to exhaustion were found. Under the conditions of this experimental design, SPORT had no beneficial effects on performance or recovery in trained athletes.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Cross-Over Studies
  • Dietary Supplements*
  • Diosgenin / adverse effects
  • Diosgenin / pharmacology*
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Exercise / physiology*
  • Female
  • Heart Rate / drug effects*
  • Humans
  • Lactic Acid / blood*
  • Male
  • Phytosterols / adverse effects
  • Phytosterols / pharmacology*
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Phytosterols
  • dietary supplement, SPORT
  • Lactic Acid
  • Diosgenin