Effects of anthocyanin-rich blackcurrant extract on cardiovascular and metabolic responses during rest and treadmill running: a case study in an elite national level female Southeast Asian endurance athlete.

Introduction: Anthocyanin-rich blackcurrant extract altered exercise-induced metabolic responses (e.g., enhanced fat oxidation) in case studies with Caucasian non-heat acclimatized male endurance athletes. We examined 2-3 weeks before marathon competition the effects of 7-day intake of the extract (i.e., 420 mg of anthocyanins per day) during supine rest and 1 h of moderate-intensity running in an elite national level female Southeast Asian endurance athlete (age: 48 years, BMI: 19.3 kg·m Methods: Non-invasive beat-to-beat hemodynamic monitoring (PhysioFlow®) and breath-by-breath gas technology (Cortex Metalyzer 3B) techniques were used during supine rest and a 1-hour indoor (∼24.5 °C, relative humidity: ∼42%) treadmill run at 50% Results: During rest, the blackcurrant extract condition was associated with higher heart rate (+6 bpm), cardiac output (+10%), carbohydrate oxidation (+31%), and respiratory exchange ratio (+0.02 units), with lower systemic vascular resistance (-18%) compared with placebo. Stroke volume, oxygen uptake, and fat oxidation values appeared similar between conditions. During the 1-h treadmill run at 50% Discussion: This case study provided preliminary observations that a highly endurance-trained elite National Southeast Asian female athlete responded physiologically to the intake of blackcurrant extract. Seven-day intake with 420 mg per day of blackcurrant anthocyanins was associated with alterations in cardiovascular, metabolic, and respiratory responses during rest and moderate-intensity running, including lower post-run lactate concentrations. However, the mechanisms underlying this observation remain unclear and should be interpreted cautiously given the exploratory single-participant design.