The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of acanthopanax senticosus extract intake on physical fitness, blood lipid profiles, immunoglobulin and liver function during winter training in middle school male elite soccer players.
After approval of Pusan National University Institutional Review Board(Approval No. PNU_2013_3), sixteen soccer players of 1st and 2nd grade in Dongrye Boys’middle school volunteered to be test subjects. Experimental groups were winter training and acanthopanax senticosus intake group(n=8), winter training group(n=8).
The total experimental period was 4 weeks. Winter training is 4 times a day, 5 days a week for 4 weeks with an intensity of 70~95%HRR by measuring the change in heart rate with Polar.
Winter training and acanthopanax senticosus intake group were instructed to take an 100㎖ acanthopanax senticosus extract everyday after breakfast and dinner during the 4 week.
The test data were analyzed by paired t-test and independent t-test, and the alpha level of p<0.5 was set for all tests of significance. The results of this study are as follows:
1. Physical Fitness
The cardiorespiratory endurance and agility in winter training and acanthopanax senticosus intake group had significantly increased.
The power in winter training and acanthopanax senticosus intake group and winter training group had significantly increased.
2. Blood Lipid Profiles
The T-C, HDL-C, LDL-C and TG in winter training and acanthopanax senticosus intake group and winter training group had not significantly changed.
3. Immunoglobulin
The IgA in winter training and acanthopanax senticosus intake group had significantly increased, and the IgA in winter training and acanthopanax senticosus intake group was higher than that in winter training group.
4. Liver Function
The GOT and GPT in winter training group had significantly increased, and the GOT and GPT in winter training group was higher than that in winter training and acanthopanax senticosus intake group.
In conclusion, the results of this study show that acanthopanax senticosus extract seem to have a positive influence on immunoglobulin and liver function. Therefore acanthopanax senticosus extract is considered to be able to contribute an ergogenic aids.