Natural plant extract PLX offers athletes significant performance benefits by tackling both the mental and physical factors that prevent recovery after exercise, results from a new peer-reviewed clinical trial have shown.
The findings, published in the journal Nutraceutical Research, were the result of a double-blind study commissioned by Monteloeder and conducted by researchers at the University Miguel Hernandez of Elche in Spain. The trial evaluated the ability of PLX to address sleep difficulties, muscle pain, anxiety and fatigue – all symptoms commonly associated with poor recovery in sportsmen and women, Monteloeder said.
A total of 26 volunteers took part in the 21-day trial, with 14 of them consuming 1.2g of PLX per day and the remaining 12 given a placebo. All participants followed the same regular aerobic routine, and the same diet.
Researchers regularly quizzed the volunteers about their feelings of recovery following a night of sleep, and asked them to take a “profile of mood states” test weekly. The results demonstrated that, compared with the placebo group, the study participants using PLX experienced reduced levels of perceived fatigue and anxiety, slept for longer each night and reported less muscle pain. Overall, the PLX group reported a 44% improvement in quality of sleep over the course of the study, and recorded significantly reduced levels of the key markers for oxidative stress – protein carbonyls and malondialdehyde – and inflammation – myeloperoxide – in their blood.
PLX is a proprietary extract from the leaves of the lemon verbena plant, containing a combination of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory components. It is suitable for inclusion in dietary supplements and convenient functional beverages and shots.
Monteloeder global head of marketing Fernando Cartagena said: “The results of this study show that our unique lemon verbena extract improves both the psychological and physiological symptoms that slow down recovery after exercise. This is a compelling proposition for any athlete. In general, most sports supplements offering recovery benefits focus only on physical factors. However, as any sports psychologist will tell you, there is more to it than just muscular pain. By improving sleep patterns and reducing anxiety and fatigue, PLX also enhances the mental recovery that is essential for sporting success.”
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