CURRANZ – more science results in
I’ve posted on and off over the last few years about some of the benefits to endurance performance of supplementation of anthocyanin-rich products (that’s very concentrated blackcurrants to you and me – CurraNZ). I thought now was a good time to summarise the various findings and, for you non-believers, I’ll add some links to the science too. I have also added quick references to 3 new studies.
Note: I get free product in exchange for these posts but no money. I use the product as I think it provides a performance benefit. There is a discount and link at the end of this post if you want to give it a go.
- Elite climbing study (Science Link) – Some excellent results were found after looking at the effects of CurraNZ on hemodynamics in elite climbers. Somehow, CURRANZ is enabling the muscle tissue to extract a lot more oxygen from the blood and is massively improving reoxygenation time. (This study was initially performed at intermediate-level climbers but repeated on elites to be certain of the benefits)
- Fat Oxidation (FO) study (Science Link) – a recent FO study found that two weeks’ intake is more effective on fat oxidation. Furthermore, fat-burning adaptation and responses (up to 106%!) are greater with higher-BMI individuals. So it helps you lose weight.
- Muscle fibre type study (Science Link) – Slowtwitch muscle types we were shown to derive increased resistance to fatigue whereas fast-twitch muscle fibres demonstrated greater force production during exercise.
Summary of Older CURRANZ-based Scientific Papers
Longer-term Daily use and effective fat oxidation
- An average of 10% increase in fat oxidation after week one
- An average 16% increase in fat oxidation (fat burning) after week two
- No effect on fat oxidation when taken intermittently (every second day)
- Blackcurrant clearly favours fat as an energy source after longer intake
Based on a dosage of 600mg (2 tablets) of CurraNZ/day.
One Week usage and race effectiveness
- 38% of participants were consistently high responders up to 37.8%
- Six of the 16 subjects improved their total distance from 8.3% up to 37.8% across both blackcurrant trials
- Nine participants improved their total distance a minimum of 7.9% in at least one trial
- Blackcurrant responders improved their average total running distance by 262m-394m
- Blackcurrant responders improved their average sprint distance by 116m-265m
Based on a dosage of 600mg (2 tablets) of CurraNZ/day for a week. More than one in three people might respond this way.
Gastro-Intestinal Integrity & HEat Performance
- Participants had less gastro-intestinal damage
- Blackcurrant improved fat oxidation by on average 30% under conditions experienced in the heat
Based on a dosage of 600mg (2 tablets) of CurraNZ/day for a week.
Reduced effect on South East Asian Males
- No effect on fat oxidation at rest or during exercise
- A moderate-to-significant effect on cardiac responses during exercise
- No effect on cardiac function at rest
Based on a dosage of 600mg (2 tablets) of CurraNZ/day for a week.
Alters Physiological Responses and Femoral Artery Diameter during
Sustained Isometric Contraction
- The vasodilatory actions of the berry triggered a 6.9%-8.2% increase in the diameter of the femoral artery, resulting in a 20%-35% increase in blood flow
- There was a trend for lower systolic, diastolic and mean arterial blood pressure values in ranges of 7%-12% during muscle contraction. These values indicated the cardiovascular system experienced less stress
- Muscle fibres in the quadricep demonstrated 11%-16% less activity, indicating the muscle worked to the same intensity with reduced effort
- 12 out of 13 subjects saw higher cardiovascular responses during exercise, with increases to the cardiac output of 16% | Heart stroke volume improved by 11% | Total peripheral resistance reduced by 25%
- Subjects had higher total haemoglobin, enhanced uptake and utilization of oxygen in the muscle, leading to reduced fatigue
Based on a dosage of 600mg (2 tablets) of CurraNZ/day for a week.
Improves Cycling Performance and Fat Oxidation in Cyclists
- Participants had higher rates of whole-body fat oxidation of 15% and 27% at low and
moderate exercise intensities - A trend for higher power across the time trial
- Faster completion time by on average 2.4% with individual improvements of up to 8.6%
- Significant performance effect from the short-duration intake of NZ blackcurrant extract
Based on a dosage of 300mg (1 tablet) of CurraNZ/day for a week.
Effect on Substrate Oxidation and Physiological Responses During Prolonged Cycling
- A dose-effect was observed for average fat oxidation and carbohydrate oxidation
- CurraNZ-supplemented subjects burned 116 more calories during the protocol
- Blackcurrant-supplemented participants exhibited mean fat oxidation increases of 21.5% and 24.1% for 600mg and 900mg of extract.
Based on dosages of 300,600,900mg (1, 2,3 tablets) of CurraNZ/day for a week.
Enhances Fat Oxidation During Prolonged Cycling in Endurance-Trained Females
- CurraNZ increased fat oxidation by an average of 27%, with ranges of up to 33% and 55%
- Participants expended on average 11% less carbohydrate
- Increased pre-exercise plasma NEFA and glycerol concentrations, suggesting an effect on lipolysis at rest
Based on a dosage of 600mg (2 tablets) of CurraNZ/day for a week.
Improves High-Intensity Intermittent Running
- CurraNZ improved distance covered during sprints by an average 10.8%, or 411m
- 1 in 3 subjects improved more than 15%
- Despite the longer running duration, there was a trend towards higher lactate at exhaustion, suggesting greater tolerance
- By 30 mins after exercise completion, lactate clearance was greater in 64% of
participants
Based on the usage of CurraNZ/day for a week.
Performance during the Running-based Anaerobic Sprint Test for Footballers
- Elite footballers experienced less slowing in the high-intensity, repeated sprint tests
- Elite players had reduced slowing of sprint times, an effect not observed in the non-elite players
- 12 of the 24 players (including five of the nine elites) demonstrated a lower fatigue index on blackcurrant by a combined absolute value of 12%,
Based on a dosage of 600mg (2 tablets) of CurraNZ/day for a week.
Effect on Maximal Sprint Speed during Intermittent Shuttle test
- Short-term use of CurraNZ allowed athletes to better maintain the fastest sprinting times
- Athletes who increased time to exhaustion in later phases did so by on average 15% (equating to 2 minutes and 20 seconds)
- Athletes could run for longer at a higher intensity with reduced fatigue
- Some subjects reported less perceived exertion on blackcurrant
Cardiovascular Function during Supine Rest in Endurance Trained Males
- A moderate-to-large dose-response of cardiac values in differing ranges at 300mg, 600mg, 900mg
- At a dose of 900mg, cardiac output increased by 27.5% without an increase in heart-rate
- Total peripheral resistance reduced by 20.2% (900mg)
- Increased stroke volume – the amount of blood pumped by each stroke of the heart – increased by 17.5% (900mg)
Based on dosages of 300,600,900mg (1, 2,3 tablets) of CurraNZ/day for a week.
Effect on Muscle Fibre-Specific Fatigue
- Individuals with Type 1 fibres (slow twitch) had increased resistance to fatigue
- Individuals with Type 2 fibres (fast-twitch) could produce 15% greater force during the initial stages of the 16-set contractions
Based on a dosage of 600mg (2 tablets) of CurraNZ/day for a week.
Beneficial Physiological Effects For Endurance Triathletes
- A complete downward-right shift in the lactate curve
- 6% increase in power at OBLA, allowing for greater exercise intensity
- Lactate reduced by 14% at maximum oxygen uptake and by up to 27% at lower cycling intensities
- Increased cardiac output by 26%, increased stroke volume by 25%
- Decrease of total peripheral resistance by 16% The findings demonstrate increased blood flow may
Intra-individual responses during high-intensity, intermittent running
- 38% of participants were consistently high responders up to 37.8%
- Six of the 16 subjects improved their total distance from 8.3% up to 37.8% across both blackcurrant trials
- Nine participants improved their total distance a minimum of 7.9% in at least one trial
Effect on Repeated Cycling Time Trial Performance
- Total time of the two 4km cycling trials was 0.82% faster with NZBC extract
- Seven of the ten participants had faster total times and higher mean power values
- No effect of NZBC on heart rate or lactate values
Effects on whole-body fat oxidation during moderate-intensity exercise in males
- An average of 10% increase in fat oxidation after week one
- An average 16% increase in fat oxidation (fat burning) after week two
- No effect on fat oxidation when taken intermittently (every second day)
- Blackcurrant clearly favours fat as an energy source after longer intake
- The potential to deliver a greater degree of fat burning in overweight, obese and unhealthy people
Enhances fat oxidation during submaximal exercise in the heat
- Blackcurrant increased fat oxidation by on average 30% compared to the placebo group under the conditions
Effect on motivation to exercise
- Heart rate, blood lactate and oxidative stress were similar in both groups.
- The blackcurrant group walked further in both meantime and distance
- The blackcurrant group recorded a significantly higher number of ‘positive’ mood scores
- A decrease in MAO-B activity in the blackcurrant group
- Reduced plasma prolactin levels in the blackcurrant group compared to placebo
Promotional Discount Code is 5KRUNNER on the curranz website, this should give you 10% off, sometimes Curranz offer a 20% discount for first time customers
CURRANZ Review Performance and Recovery Tablets, Blackcurrant-based
To see the full blackcurrant science roundup, including the latest abstracts, (pages 5-8) here.
What’s your subjective experience? Have you any personal comparisons between being loaded with blackcurrant goodness and not. Plus, how many blackcurrants is equivalent to a single tab?
IIRC the contents of a tabs is something like a handful of berries…it’s a significant amount. (same argument for Beet-it…these products are very concentrated)
I only subjectively feel that it improves recovery.
the science says it improves performance, however the improvements basically look at oxygen flows and if you also have a product like beet-it where similar effects are happening then I don’t think you can tell the difference that curranz makes over and above that.
then if you look at the increased fat oxidation, clearly something is going on here in the science. but can you actually fell that after 80 minutes rather than the usual 75 minutes into a run…yet in a race that sort of thing makes a material difference (if it happens)
so things like beet-it, HVMN, caffeine, creatine monohydrate…i can literally FEEL the difference that day. not so ON THE DAY with curranz.