Mark WIilems
University of Chichester, Department of Sport & Exercise Sciences, UK
Title: Effect of New Zealand blackcurrant on performance during the running based anaerobic sprint test in elite and non-elite football players
Biography
Biography: Mark WIilems
Abstract
New Zealand blackcurrant (NZBC) extract reduced slowing of the maximal 15 m sprint speed during the Loughborough Intermittent Shuttle Test (Willems et al., 2016). We examined the effect of NZBC extract on performance of the Running Based Anaerobic Sprint Test (RAST, 6 x 35 sprints with 10 seconds passive recovery) in elite and non-elite football players. Fifteen non-elite (University team) (age: 20±1 years, height: 174±19 cm, body mass: 80±13 kg) and nine elite players (English professional club youth team) (age: 17±0 years, height: 178±8 cm, body mass: 69±9 kg, mean±SD) participated in three testing sessions. Prior to the RASTs, participants consumed 2 capsules of NZBC extract (600 mg∙day-1 CurraNZ™) or placebo (P) (microcrystalline cellulose M102) for 7 days (double blind, randomised, cross-over design, wash-out at least 7 days). Ability difference between elite and non-elite players was shown by sprint 1 time. In the placebo condition, elite players had faster times for sprint 1 (5.00±0.05 s) than non-elite (5.42±0.08 s) (P<0.01). In elite players, NZBC extract reduced slowing of the sprint 5 time (P: 0.56±0.22 s; NZBC: 0.35±0.25, P=0.015) and this was not observed in non-elite players (P: 0.57±0.48 s; NZBC: 0.56±0.33, P=0.90). Fatigue index, expressed as a % change in maximum power to the slowest sprint, was overall lower by NZBC extract (P: 29.5±11.95; NZBC: 26.0±12.0%, P=0.043) with 12 participants (5 elite) experiencing less fatigue. New Zealand blackcurrant extract seems to benefit repeated sprint performance more in elite than non-elite football players.