Acute Effects of Herbal Dietary Supplements on Aerobic Performance

An Assessment of the Acute Effects of Herbal Dietary Supplements on Aerobic Performance in Recreational Athletes

Positive effects of herbal supplements such as red berries, ginseng, ashwagandha on athletic performance have been reported. The aim of this study was to evaluate the acute effects of a herbal dietary supplement prepared from a mixture of red berries, ginseng and ashwagandha on aerobic performance of recreational athletes.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Diet, Healthy
• Intervention / Treatment: Combination product: Herbal Supplement

Detailed Description

In the beginning of the study anthropometric measurements (weight (kg), height (cm), BMI, waist circumference (cm), body fat percentage, lean body mass, skeletal muscle mass) will be taken from the participants who accepted to participate in the study.

During the study, participants will be restricted from consuming alcohol, caffeine, red fruit, ginseng and ashwagandha.

First, Yoyo Intermittent Recovery Level 1 performance test (The Yo-Yo test is a maximal aerobic endurance fitness test, involving running between markers placed 20 meters apart, at increasing speeds, until exhaustion) will be done to all participants In this step, participants will not drink anything. Then there will be a 2-week break.

At the end of the 3-week break, the participants will be divided into two groups by block randomization method and one group will receive a herbal nutritional supplement mixture (100 ml 30 minutes before training). The other group will drink a placebo prepared with the same texture and consistency as our main mixture, containing an equal amount of carbohydrates (100 ml 30 minutes before training). Then the same performance test will be repeated. At the end of the test also 1 and 2 minutes after end of the test, the participants' heart rate measurement will be taken with a finger-type pulse oximeter and recorded . At the end of the test, perceived exertion levels will be questioned using the Borg scale.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 42
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Cyprus
  • Famagusta, Cyprus, 99520
    • Nezire

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Being a student in the Exercise and Sports sciences department
• Not using any supplement
• Not being in a period that will affect sleep patterns (midterm/finals week, holiday, etc.)
• Doing regular exercise

Exclusion Criteria:

• Having a known food allergy
• Using any supplement
• Being a professional athlete
• Drinking alcohol regularly

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
• Allocation: Non-Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
No Intervention: Control Group; Placebo will be given to this group (100ml, contain same carbohydrate amount as herbal supplement)
Active Comparator: Interventional Group; Herbal Supplement will be given to this group (100ml, Herbal Supplement)	Combination product: Herbal Supplement; Herbal supplement will be the mixture of strawberry, black mulberry, blueberry, raspberry, ginseng, ashwagandha, honey, water

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Vo2 Max	Once the test is completed, participants' Vo2 max values will be calculated using the formula "Vo2 max= Distance covered x 0.0084 + 36.4"	Up to 1 week
Total distance covered in Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test (level 1)	Once the test is completed, total distance covered by participants during the test will be recorded in meters.	Up to 1 week

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change between end-test heart rate and heart rate 1 minute post Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test (level 1)	Volunteers' heart rate was taken immediately after the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test (level 1) and 1 minute post test. Heart rates were detected by using finger tip pulse oximeter	1 minutes
Change between end-test heart rate and heart rate 2 minutes post Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test (level 1)	Volunteers' heart rate was taken immediately after the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test (level 1) and 2 minute post test. Heart rates were detected by using finger tip pulse oximeter	2 minutes

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
BMI	BMI will be calculated. For the calculation of BMI; weight (kg), height (m) will be measured and formulated as follow (weight (kg) / (height (m))2	Up to 2 weeks
Waist Circumference	Waist circumference of the participants will be measured by placing the measuring tape around your middle at a point halfway between the bottom of your ribs and the top of your hips (just above the belly button) and recorded	Up to 2 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Eastern Mediterranean University
• Investigators: Study Director: Nezire Ince, Eastern Mediterranean University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): November 30, 2023
• Primary Completion (Actual): January 19, 2024
• Study Completion (Actual): October 30, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: November 29, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 25, 2023
• First Posted (Actual): December 28, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): August 8, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 7, 2025
• Last Verified: August 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Recovery; Nutritional Supplement; Athlete Performance
• Other Study ID Numbers: ETK00-2023-0207

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No