By Isobel Williams via SWNS
Cranberries can help long distance runners boost their performance, a new study shows.
Researchers found the common cranberry works as a legal supplement for runners, increasing speed and reoxygenation whilst stopping muscle fatigue after less than a month of consumption.
For their study, published in the journal Physical Activity and Nutrition, the researchers conducted a series of trials with 14 high-level runners where they took cranberry supplements for 28 days.
The participants ran two timed trials, a 1,500-meter and a 400-meter, over three separate occasions.
The first was without any cranberries, the second after one large dose, and the third after the 28-day supplement regime.
Lead author and PhD candidate Francis Parenteau, from Concordia University, Montreal, said: “We selected these distances to test the effects the cranberry extract had on different energy systems.
“The 400-meter is shorter and of higher intensity and involves the anaerobic system. The 1,500-metre uses the aerobic system but is shorter than what the athletes usually run.
“Since they do not train to run that distance, we were able to isolate training effects as a variable.”
The results showed that the cranberry supplements increased speed in the 1,500-meter time trial but not in the 400-meter.
They also saw that lactate buildup– a marker for potential muscle fatigue and lack of oxygen– was reduced following the 400-meter but not the 1,500-meter.
Overall, the cranberry extract was seen to help boost performance and reduce muscle fatigue.
The research team say that this miracle fruit is so powerful because it is packed full of antioxidants which help to protect the body from the negative effects of strenuous exercise.
Associate professor Andreas Bergdahl added: “When it comes to elite athletes, any advantage can make the difference between finishing fifth or on the podium.
“The beauty of this is that it is all natural. It is an ergogenic aid, meaning that it is performance-enhancing, but it is not an anabolic steroid.
“Athletes can get this important boost in their performance just by consuming more cranberries.”
