Branded Gynostemma pentaphyllum extract supports exercise performance in recent study

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A recent human clinical trial¹ found that supplementation with a novel Gynostemma pentaphyllum extract, branded ActivAMP from Gencor (Austin, TX), increased aerobic performance in healthy males. In the randomized, double-blind placebo control crossover study, 16 health untrained young males were given either a placebo or 450 mg of G. pentaphyllum per day for four weeks, separated by a four-week washout period. Afer four weeks of supplementation with the extract, subjects experienced significant reductions in leptin and blood glucose levels, as well as improved time trial performance over 20 km. This improved time trial performance also corresponded to a high muscle oxygen flux compared to placebo.

Researchers also measured the extract’s impact on AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and found that after supplementation, muscle AMPK Thr172 phosphorylation significantly increased after 60 min exercise, and AMPK Thr172 phosphorylation levels relative to total AMPK increased earlier following exercise, compared to placebo. The researchers explain in the study that “AMPK is an intracellular energy sensor that regulates metabolic homoeostasis and is therefore a target for various metabolic syndromes, such as obesity and diabetes. AMPK enhances ATP production and is activated during adenosine triphosphate (ATP) shortage, heat stress, excessive training, hypoxia, and starvation.”

Gencor adds in a press release that AMPK helps promote energy availability for muscular contraction. “The AMPK activation, also known as the ‘master metabolic regulator,’ is a significant finding in this study,” said R.V. Venkatesh, co-founder and managing director at Gencor, in a press release. “This increase in phosphorylation elaborates on previous research that shows improvements in metabolic health and exercise performance. This is also the first study conducted in the nutraceutical industry to demonstrate the activation of AMPK in a human trial through muscle biopsy. We are thrilled with the study results and will continue investigating how this botanical can further support sports and active nutrition.”

Reference

Nayyer, D.; Yan, X.; Xu, G.; Shi, M.; Garnham, A.P.; Mathai, M.L.; McAinch, A.J. Gynostemma pentaphyllum increases exercise performance and alters mitochondrial respiration and AMPK in healthy males. Nutrients. 2023, 15 (22): 4721. DOI: 10.3390/nu15224721