PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - C M Shing
AU  - D G Jenkins
AU  - L Stevenson
AU  - J S Coombes
TI  - The influence of bovine colostrum supplementation on exercise performance in highly trained cyclists
AID  - 10.1136/bjsm.2006.027946
DP  - 2006 Sep 01
TA  - British Journal of Sports Medicine
PG  - 797--801
VI  - 40
IP  - 9
4099  - http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/40/9/797.short
4100  - http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/40/9/797.full
SO  - Br J Sports Med2006 Sep 01; 40
AB  - Purpose: The aim of this experiment was to investigate the influence of low dose bovine colostrum supplementation on exercise performance in cyclists over a 10 week period that included 5 days of high intensity training (HIT). Methods: Over 7 days of preliminary testing, 29 highly trained male road cyclists completed a VO2max test (in which their ventilatory threshold was estimated), a time to fatigue test at 110% of ventilatory threshold, and a 40 km time trial (TT40). Cyclists were then assigned to either a supplement (n = 14, 10 g/day bovine colostrum protein concentrate (CPC)) or a placebo group (n = 15, 10 g/day whey protein) and resumed their normal training. Following 5 weeks of supplementation, the cyclists returned to the laboratory to complete a second series of performance testing (week 7). They then underwent five consecutive days of HIT (week 8) followed by a further series of performance tests (week 9). Results: The influence of bovine CPC on TT40 performance during normal training was unclear (week 7: 1±3.1%, week 9: 0.1±2.1%; mean±90% confidence limits). However, at the end of the HIT period, bovine CPC supplementation, compared to the placebo, elicited a 1.9±2.2% improvement from baseline in TT40 performance and a 2.3±6.0% increase in time trial intensity (% VO2max), and maintained TT40 heart rate (2.5±3.7%). In addition, bovine CPC supplementation prevented a decrease in ventilatory threshold following the HIT period (4.6±4.6%). Conclusion: Low dose bovine CPC supplementation elicited improvements in TT40 performance during an HIT period and maintained ventilatory threshold following five consecutive days of HIT.