The sports nutrition category has shown another double-digit growth, not by the same educated people about the type buying more but new consumers getting into the class.
The consumption of sports nutrition products is rapidly increasing among mainstream fitness enthusiasts and active lifestyle consumers while getting educated. Of course, the top categories are still products for specific energy gain, muscle support, and weight management.
Moreover, the prevalence of lifestyle diseases such as obesity is growing. According to an article published in the New England Journal of Medicine, approximately 50% of the U.S. population is estimated to have obesity by 2030. According to Eurostat, 52.7% of the European Union population is overweight.
One of the fastest and trendiest area within the category is “Muscle Endurance”, one area that not too many company have invested into research beside Pycnogenol®
Physical exercise accompanies a dramatically increased oxidation of nutrients to meet the shooting-up energy demand. Numerous physiological systems and many biochemical interactions take place during activity. Yet, the most significant and performance-limiting interplay occurs between the cardio-respiratory system and skeletal muscle. This is obvious from the typical 10- to 20-fold increase in inhaled oxygen over rest.
Why may Pycnogenol® French maritime pine bark extract play an essential role in physical activity?
Physical exercise is vital to overall health and, at the same time, increases our body’s need for oxygen. Research indicates Pycnogenol® may play an essential role in physical activity because it was shown to aid the body in producing nitric oxide (NO), thus enhancing blood microcirculation and improving muscle flow. This helps the body achieve peak muscle performance and speeds recovery after exercise, which may reduce muscular aches in both athletes and healthy individuals.
How does Pycnogenol® help relax blood vessels and improve blood flow?
Pycnogenol® stimulates the enzyme “endothelial nitric oxide synthase” (eNOS) for enhanced NO generation from the precursor molecule L-arginine.
How does Pycnogenol® act as an energy enhancer?
The link between Pycnogenol® and sports endurance was studied several years ago at California State University. Recreational athletes showed an increase in athlete endurance while supplementing with Pycnogenol® as compared to persistence recorded from participants taking the placebo.
In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study design, recreational athletes were supplemented with either Pycnogenol® or placebo for 30 days. They were then crossed over to the other group for an additional 30 days. The athletes performed under controlled conditions on a treadmill with individual settings adjusted to 85% of a person’s maximum oxygen consumption to prevent too rapid exhaustion and reduce anaerobic metabolism. The study showed a statistically significant increase in athlete endurance while taking Pycnogenol® as compared to persistence recorded from participants taking the placebo.
Pycnogenol® aids in muscle recovery and alleviates cramping
Increased physical activity can lend itself to sore muscles and fatigue, which can take several days to subside.
Pycnogenol® was shown to significantly reduce muscular pain and cramps in athletes and healthy, normal individuals. Poor circulation in the muscle is known to cause cramps, and the antioxidant improved the cramping in patients due to a stimulation of blood flow to their muscle tissue.
The findings indicate that Pycnogenol® can play an important role in sports by improving blood flow to the muscles and hastening post-exercise recovery. This is excellent news to the millions of athletes worldwide and highly significant to all individuals interested in muscle cramps and pain relief with a natural approach.
Pycnogenol® enhances blood microcirculation for better blood flow and oxygenation of muscle.
Two clinical studies have shown that Pycnogenol® causes vasodilatation and consequently improves blood micro-circulation. An increased presence of oxygen and decreased carbon dioxide after consumption of Pycnogenol® was shown. Pycnogenol® contributes to better blood flow and oxygenation of muscle.
