Peppermint, and some of the other members of the mint family might well have some performance-enhancing or health-promoting effects you weren’t aware of. For example, mint has been shown to be a painkiller, and has anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, and antioxidant effects. Those effects are useful for performance, exercise recovery, and health. Just the smell of peppermint has been shown to reduce perceived effort, while improving mood and brainpower. However, compared to the amount of press some aromatherapies have received for their ergogenic properties, few studies have been undertaken to actually demonstrate the power of mint, until now.

In a recent study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, researchers looked at the effect of peppermint oil on running performance. In the study they used .05ml of peppermint oil in a drink, consumed each day for ten consecutive days. They tested participants before and after peppermint consumption for various indicators of cardiovascular performance.

The results were actually pretty surprising. You might expect a boost, but the extent that peppermint consumption improved performance was considerable. The oil improved exercise performance, respiratory function, blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory gas exchange. It also reduced resting blood pressure and heart rate. The amount of total work performed by the test subjects was increased by a whopping 51%, including an increase in the time to exhaustion of about 25%. So not only did the subjects go for a quarter longer than they did without the peppermint oil, their work rate per unit time was higher too. In other words, they went faster for longer.

After learning this I decided to research essential oil products, and it seems that the prices vary quite a bit. For fun, I picked a fairly expensive organic essential peppermint oil to see what the cost might be to take it regularly. The oil I chose cost about $15. Unfortunately there was no discussion of potency in the aforementioned research article, but I picked an oil that claimed high potency. At the amount used in the study, this one bottle would last for 600 days, costing about 2.5 cents per day. I have to say, for a performance enhancer boasting a 50% boost to total work, less than 3 cents a day sounds downright cheap.

I would have liked it if the researchers in this study used a more substantial control, as it seems there might be some unaccounted for variables without it, but nevertheless this study was eye opening. Considering that most research is done on the aroma of mints, a study like this showing such a big performance boost by drinking the oil is a big deal. I might just have to go out and grab a bottle of peppermint before my run this afternoon.

References:

1. Abbas Meamarbashi, et. al., “The effects of peppermint on exercise performance,” Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 2013, 10:15

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

The post The Surprising and Substantial Effects of Peppermint on Exercise appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

AirAide has taken many effective traditional Chinese herbs and formulated them into a combination suited for increasing lung capacity, lung health, and breathing efficiency. Many of these herbs are the same ones I prescribe regularly to asthmatics and people recovering from long-standing upper respiratory illnesses.

Traditional Chinese herbs are said to “affect” particular organs. 5,000 years ago, mystics and priests didn’t have the ability to break down the herb into its biochemical constituents to truly understand why something affects the lungs. In modern times we know herbs that positively affect the lung have chemical components with bronchiodialating effects. Aromatic herbs such as peppermint and schizonepeta help open the breathing passageways and will cause relief with any acute breathing issue.

The herbs that AirAide has chosen for their product cover a wide gamut of potential underlying lung issues. Treating the physically manifesting symptoms is only effective if the root of the issue is addressed in addition. Not stopping with herbs just to address the immediate, AirAide has also included herbs to bolster the systems that support the lungs. In Traditioal Chinese Medicine, if we are not digesting well then phlegm will rise up from our stomach and take root in the lung. AirAide has added herbs such as Bai Zhu and Chen Pi to enhance the digestive functions, thus making us not only perform better, but also keeping the crud out of our cough.

In addition to aiding with lung related maladies, AirAide can also be used as a performance enhancer. The AirAide website suggests the product can help combat smog, allergies, and high altitudes by increasing lung capacity. And unlike pharmaceutical drugs, AirAide can provide these benefits without harmful side effects. This may be of particular interest to endurance athletes or those who are juggling training and traveling to different locales.

As a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist, both in California and nationally, I believe this to be a great product and found the results of deeper breathing and less constriction myself after using the product for a week while doing both CrossFit-style workouts and training in Brazilian jiu jitsu. With a completely vegetarian delivery system and a price that is reasonable, AirAide is a great product for athletes of all ages and ability levels to support their lungs while enhancing their entire systems.

AirAide available online at myairaide.com for $31.99.

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The subjects of this study consisted of 18 active college women who were recruited from cycling classes on a college campus. The subjects were informed to stay away from all alcohol and caffeine 24 hours prior to testing. Subjects were given either a carbohydrate placebo or a powdered form of Rhodolia rosea one hour prior to beginning the test (a dosage of 3mg per kilogram of bodyweight).

The testing that was performed consisted of a ten minute warm up and a six mile time trial on a bicycle ergometer. A BORG 10 point scale was used to determine perceived exertion at five minute intervals. The BORG scale is a simple method of rating perceived exertion.³ Blood lactate concentration, salivary cortisol, and salivary amylase were measured prior to the warm-up, during the warm up, and 2 minutes after the time trial. A Profile of Mood States questionnaire and a Stroop’s color test were completed before the warm up and post time trial. A Profile of Mood States (POMS) is a psychological rating scale used to assess distinct mood states.⁴ Stroop’s color test assesses cognitive processing and provides valuable diagnostic information on brain dysfunction, cognition, and psychopathology.5

Upon completion of the study, data showed Rhodolia rosea significantly decreased heart rate during the warm up, and those who ingested Rhodolia rosea also completed the time trials at a significantly faster time than thoes who ingested a carbohydrate. It is also worth noting the average rating of perceived exertion was lower when ingesting Rhodolia rosea as well.⁶

The results of this study suggest Rhodolia rosea may be a beneficial supplement for athletes to include in their regimen. The decreased heart rate shows a sense of calm in the subjects, and the fact that those who ingested Rhodolia rosea outperformed the other group in the time trials is quite promising. Acute ingestion lowered the perceived rate of exertion in active women as well. This indicates Rhodolia rosea may be more beneficial to those athletes who participate in endurance or distance events. While Rhodolia rosea exhibits major potential, more research and larger studies are needed to determine direct correlations and effects of this promising supplement before any major conclusions can be made.

The post Rhodolia Rosea Can Boost Athletic Performance appeared first on Breaking Muscle.