Spices Boost Performance and Recovery of Endurance Athletes



A survey of readers of Bicycling magazine found that almost all of those who took a proprietary formulation of 22 different spices noticed an improvement in their cycling performance, recovery and other health related parameters.

It is well known that competitive cyclists and other groups of endurance athletes are frequently under intense, prolonged oxidative stress and are subject to injury and inflammation of their muscles, joints and other tissues. This is especially applicable to older athletes whose bodies do not produce as many of their own antioxidants as those of their younger counterparts. Large quantities of antioxidants are needed by endurance athletes to counter the massive release of damaging free radicals that occurs during endurance training and events.

If athletes do not have enough antioxidant protection they become susceptible to cramps, joint, tendon and muscle inflammation and other exercise related problems. They are also predisposed to over training symptoms like poor recovery after exercise, headaches, fatigue, depression, moodiness, irritability, insomnia and decreased immunity.

Individual antioxidants like vitamins C and E do little to counter oxidative stress in athletes. On the contrary, taking too much vitamin C has been shown to delay recovery and increase tissue inflammation. Only a wide range of different antioxidants can counter the overwhelming onslaught of free radicals that are responsible for the adverse effects frequently associated with endurance sports.

Spices have by far the highest antioxidant activity of all food types including fruit and vegetables (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, July 2006). They also contain a large variety of natural anti-inflammatory compounds and other beneficial phytonutrients. The right selection of different spices can provide the endurance athlete with well over 100 potent antioxidant compounds as well as anti-inflammatory compounds and other protective phytochemicals.

In May, 2007 this year medical doctor, Keith Scott supervised a survey of 20 female and male readers of Bicycling magazine who had volunteered to take the food supplement, VitaSpice. The survey was designed to assess the role that a balanced spice supplement could play in improving the endurance, performance, recovery and other health parameters of endurance athletes.

As scientific studies have shown that older athletes usually require more dietary antioxidants than their younger counterparts, most of those selected for the survey were over 40 years of age.

Dr Scott gave the cyclists one month's supply of VitaSpice capsules and asked them to fill in a multiple-choice questionnaire when they had finished the capsules.

Of the 20 cyclists taking part in the survey:

- 85% experienced a significant improvement in their post-ride recovery rate.

- 80% found that there was a decrease in joint, muscle, ligament and tendon pain.

- 70% experienced a significant increase in their performance.

- 70% noticed a reduction of over training symptoms.

- 65% experienced an improvement in their training capacity.

- 70% noticed other benefits such as fewer bouts of colds and flu, increased energy, improved memory and better concentration .

- 55% of those who suffered with muscle cramps found that they improved significantly after taking the spice supplement.

The findings of this survey confirm the benefits that spices can provide endurance athletes. The reasons for these excellent results are supported by a substantial body of scientific literature. These studies explain the underlying biological mechanisms whereby appropriate antioxidants and other phytonutrients contained in spices can help to counter the adverse effects of oxidative stress and other exercise induced problems like inflammation, over training and immune suppression.

Scientific references and more information about the use of spices in sport may be found at:



Spices Boost Performance and Recovery of Endurance Athletes