The Effects of Red Spinach Extract Supplementation on Isometric Strength, Resistance Exercise and Cognitive Performance

The Effects of Red Spinach Extract Supplementation on Isometric Strength, Resistance Exercise and Cognitive Performance.

Red Spinach is a natural food which is a rich source of nitrates, which are beneficial in hemodynamics, cardiovascular function, and have natural hypotensive and antianginal effects. Red spinach extract has been shown to be beneficial in exercise performance, albeit mostly in aerobic exercise. In a previous study in our lab, we found that dietary nitrate consumption resulted in significantly greater isometric force production in teenage males. However, currently there is little know regarding the effects of dietary nitrate supplementation on isometric strength, resistance exercise and cognitive performance.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Sports
• Intervention / Treatment: Dietary supplement: Placebo; Dietary supplement: Red Spinach Extract (RSE)

Detailed Description

This research study is designed to measure the effects of red spinach extract (RSE) on markers of physical and cognitive performance during and following anaerobic exercise.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 11
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Tennessee
    • Nashville, Tennessee, United States, 37215
      • Jeremy Townsend

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 34 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: Male

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• 18-34 years old Participants must have at least 1 year of resistance training experience.
• Free of any physical limitations, medications, and supplements that may affect performance, as determined by a health and activity questionnaire.
• Are free of musculoskeletal injuries
• Are not taking medications that may interfere with study measurements

Exclusion Criteria:

• Participants that cannot take either the RSE or placebo supplement will be excluded, as this will be a double-blind study.
• Furthermore, participants that cannot participate in pre- and post-research testing, and/or those that cannot commit to regular training sessions will be excluded.
• Inability to perform physical exercise (determined by health and activity questionnaire)
• Taking any other nutritional supplement or performance enhancing drug.
• Any chronic illness that causes continuous medical care

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Placebo Comparator: Placebo	Dietary supplement: Placebo; Oral placebo capsules will be taken consisting of maltodrextrin daily for 7 days
Experimental: Red Spinach Extract (RSE)	Dietary supplement: Red Spinach Extract (RSE); Oral capsules containing 2g of Red Spinach Extract will be consumed daily for 7 days

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Bench Press Repetitions to Fatiuge	Number of repetitions completed in each set during the acute exercise bout will be recorded and analyzed	Through study completion, during both treatments (~4 weeks)
Bench Press Power	Power during bench press repetitions will be measured via a linear transducer.	Through study completion, during both treatments (~4 weeks)
Isometric Mid-thigh pull (IMTP) Peak Force	Peak Force will be measured via dual force plates during a full-body isometric strength test.	Through study completion, during both treatments (~4 weeks)
Isometric Mid-thigh pull (IMTP) Rate of Force Development	Rate of Force development will be measured via dual force plates during a full-body isometric strength test.	Through study completion, during both treatments (~4 weeks)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Estimated Muscle Blood Flow via Near-infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS)	Measures of muscle oxygenation of the anterior deltoid will be estimated using a NIRS Device.	Through study completion, during both treatments (~4 weeks)
Cognitive Performance via Stroop Test	The Stroop Color and Word Test (SCWT) is a neuropsychological test used to assess cognitive performance. This will be administered before and after the fatiguing bench press protocol	Through study completion, during both treatments (~4 weeks)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Lipscomb University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Jeremy Townsend, PhD, Lipscomb University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): September 26, 2019
• Primary Completion (Actual): March 30, 2020
• Study Completion (Actual): March 30, 2020

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 17, 2020
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 28, 2020
• First Posted (Actual): March 2, 2020

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): January 14, 2022
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 13, 2022
• Last Verified: January 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: 092619

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No