The Combined Effect of Herbal Formula and Aerobic Exercise on Lipid Profile, Blood Glucose and Body Fat Changes in Recreational Female Athletes

Abstract

Background: Moderate exercise is a tool of preventive medicine, by lowering the cardiovascular risk factors, such as obesity, and improving lipid profile. In addition, blood glucose (BG) is an important substrate and it is believed that low BG level is the primary cause of fatigue during prolonged exercise. Hence, interests in herbal supplements among athletes is rising, and it is rational to investigate the effects of herbal and naturalformula (blend of ginger, cinnamon, rosemary leaf, almond powder, and honey) on VO2max, weight and body fat percent (BFP), lipid profile and glycemia changes during exercise in recreational female athletes in a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial. Methods: Eighteen subjects trained for 4 weeks and randomly received either antioxidant formula (FormEX)(n=8) or placebo (PlcEX)(n=10). Bruce protocol was used for estimating VO2max. Blood samples were obtained 1-hr before (in fasted state) and 1-hr post-exercise to measure lipid profile and blood glucose levels. Weight and body fat percentage was calculated. Findings: Formula supplementation did not significantly affect lipid profile and BG. Vo(2max) increased in both groups, however the increased levels were higher in FormEX (p=0.02). Although no significant differences were observed in relation to weight among formula and placebo users, the decrease in body fat percent was significantly higher in formula group compared with placebo (p=0.04). Conclusion: Our study showed that natural/herbal formula with aerobic exercise although had no effect on weight, decreased BFP. Besides formula with aerobic exercise increased the VO2max compared with exercise and placebo. It did not show any significant effects on lipid profile and FBS probably due to variations of these variables within normal range and did not have any undesirable lowering effect on BG levels 1 hour after exercise, which is one of the main causes of fatigue in prolonged exercises.