Effects of Moringa Oleifera leaf powder infusion on a 20km cycling timetrial performance and cardiorespiratory responses in active people

Author(s): Dona Géraud Enock Gbedinhessi, David H. St-Pierre, Alain Steve Comtois, Gawiyou Danialou.

Moringa Oleifera (MO) is a tropical plant with roots, seeds, and bark that is used as food and in traditional medicine. The MO has already been shown to exert antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic properties. On the other hand, the ergogenic properties of MO remain unclear. Our study aimed to compare the energy and time required for participants to complete the required work (cycling 20 km) before and after receiving an infusion of the MO leaf. The performance achieved by 34 participants (19 M, 15 W, Age: 25.9 ± 4.5 years, Weight: 71.4 ± 16.5 kg, Height: 170.4 ± 10.0 cm, VO2max: 40.1 ± 8.4 ml.kg.min) at the end of a 20 km time trial cycling time trial was recorded. During the protocol, the load was set at a power of 114.1 ± 42.8 Watts (corresponding to the ventilatory threshold 1+10%: VT1+10% of the participants). The heart rate (HR) was measured during the test, both at rest, during effort, and recovery. Also, blood lactate levels, rate of perceived exertion (RPE), and muscle oxygenation were measured. Total work (Δ 293.6 ± 75.3 vs 290.1 ± 77.4 KJ, p=0.012, d=0.5) and time (Δ 50.0 ± 22.3 vs 49.33 ± 21.9 min, p=0.021, d=0.4) were significantly different. HR (Δ 172.4 ± 22.5 vs 175.9 ± 23.1 beats per minute (bpm), p=0.02, d=-0.9) and RPM (Δ 87.6 ± 18.5 vs 93.3 ± 15.8, p=0.008, d= -0.5) were also significantly different. Our findings indicate that the infusion of Moringa Oleifera leaf powder enhances the pedaling rate, total work output, and exercise duration when achieving a 20 km cycling time trial.