5km PB – easily boost your performance by 3%, and up to 5.7% [Science]
Science: doi.org
The latest study by MOSS et al (Chester University) showed that an acute dose of 315 mg of naturally occurring anthocyanins 120 minutes before exercise, boosted 5k time trial times by, on average, 3% (38 seconds) and up to 5.7%.
11 of the 16 participants improved their time by more than the natural variation ie over 14 seconds.
The study followed a double-blind, randomized, crossover design based on 16 male athletes with a VO2max of 55.4 ± 6.1. The dosage was obtained from 3xcapsules of CURRANZ tablets (based on a highly concentrated blackcurrant extract)
I regularly use this product as I believe it works. I get free samples in exchange for articles like this but no money. Other research shows that CURRANZ has fat-burning effects ie that it can subtly skew your body’s metabolism to burn fat rather than carbs and that is what you need if you are on a diet or trying to run further and faster. Products like Lumen (review) can measure your fat-burn abilities.
The 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 has extensive research into its performance-enhancing benefits, listed below. I’ll also direct parkrunners to the following link that has many 10s of ways to improve your 5k time for your next parkrun…some funny but most are based on science that works.
How to get a parkrun PB – Top *100* Tips for your best 5K time PB PR
Want to improve your 5km running time? Study shows Blackcurrant can boost performance up to 5.7%
Anthocyanin improves 20-minute efforts for newbies
A one-off, high dose of CurraNz’s anthocyanins gave a significant but modest boost to newbie cyclists in a 10-mile indoor time trial.
Two hours after taking a single dose of 3x CurraNz tablets it was found that
- 11 of the 17 slower cyclists (65%) had a higher speed and power profile across the whole time trial
- Responders finished the time trial on average 20 seconds faster
- 63% of females and 35% of the males had an improvement of >0.6% up to 6%
- Performance improvements were close to significance at 8km
- Power output and speed were significantly higher at 12km
Ref: https://doi.org/10.3390/sports11050093
Anthocyanin lowers post-workout blood pressure
After taking two tablets a day for a week, anthocyanins were shown to further reduce blood pressure after a workout in young adults with normal blood pressure. The study reinforced earlier findings that CurraNz noticeably increases fat burning; in this study fat burning was increased by 66% (if you want to lose weight or go faster for longer then that’s a fundamental property)
- Increased post-exercise hypotension by an average 2.1mmHg decrease in systolic blood pressure
- Increased fat metabolism on average by 66% during exercise
- Enhanced fat metabolism in 13 participants
Interestingly the study also looked at any changes to HRV (cardiac regulation) but CurraNz but nothing was found.
Summary of Older CURRANZ-based Scientific Papers
- 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.
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 by 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 of 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, and 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 by 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.
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Oh man why are you destroying your reputation with this articles?
apologies, I only linked to 8 published scientific articles.
will do better next time.
FWIW, it would really be great if you led with your affiliation to the product next time. The linked literature is great, but transparency up front is equally important
ty for the feedback
the affiliation is made clear ‘above the fold’ on the fourth paragraph. that is more than acceptable in my opinion.
as i say, it’s not really an affiliation i the normal sense as no money is involved, i just like and use the product.
there is clear info about paying links in the right column (PC) and at the end of content. that info is overly conservative and says ALL links are affilaited when clearly not all of them are
even when clicking some links it goes through to a choice page (Geni.us) on which there are further affiliate disclosures
there are also various cookioe, privacy and affiliate disclose as separate documents.
AFAIK I am in full compliance with what Google, amazon and every other institution requires. I am in the UK and subject to UK law.
I’m just not going to spoil the content any further when few other people do the same (eg in dcrainmakers review of tax neo he doesn’t mention it is a media loaner and on his coros pace 3 review he doesn’t mention he bought the unit himself until the third paragraph as he normally does….more words will have passed until he mentioned that than in the case of this post) PS Ray, I have zero problems with how you do things, I’m jsut making a point.
FWIW I don’t see any issue with this post at all. I was introduced to this product through your posts long ago and as someone that is always looking to eek out 1% or 2% extra performance, it was helpful to me and I can validate the performance claims personally.
To expound, the effect for me is similar to Beet juice, it lowers the RPE at certain levels of performance. I also feel like both benefit me in high altitude races, again purely an N=1 experience but it’s definitely there.
thanks Brian
I find the beetroot juice effect more obvious tho. I can feel the difference. with curranz i just see it in the time!
Regarding Beet juice:
– Been using it longer, was only introduced to Curranz maybe 5 years ago
– Beet juice far more available, and with several options to choose from that are more economical
– In raw form though, Beet far far far less palatable than taking a Curranz pill! (I know it’s personal taste but Beet juice is awful tasting stuff)
if you get direct from the company its fresher and niceer and cheaper…email me (anyone else can too)
Which do you mean, the Beet juice or Curranz? I’m in the US and I have been using the Biotta brand beet juice (tastes horrible), the “Beet it” brand sports drink (sometimes they cut with other juices), and lately I’ve been experimenting with a Beet powder (which is way more palatable).
Only the juice versions cause that alarming side effect of blood red pee afterwards though.