Abstract
- Background
B vitamins play a crucial role in maintaining fundamental cellular functions and various essential metabolic pathways in the body. Although they do not directly provide energy, each B vitamin acts as a cofactor in energy metabolism processes. Based on this, we hypothesized that a 28-day supplementation of vitamin B would enhance physical performance and reduce physical fatigue. The objective of this study was to evaluate the anti-fatigue effect of vitamin B supplementation, specifically vitamins $\text{B}_1$, $\text{B}_2$, $\text{B}_6$, and $\text{B}_{12}$, and its potential to improve exercise performance.
- Methods
We employed a randomized double-blind crossover design with a 28-day supplementation period. Sixteen male and sixteen female subjects, aged 20–30 years, were divided into two groups: the placebo group ($n=16$, equal gender distribution) and the $\text{Ex PLUS}^{\circledR}$ group ($n=16$, equal gender distribution). The participants received either placebo or $\text{Ex PLUS}^{\circledR}$ (one tablet per day) for 28 consecutive days. Following the intervention, there was a 14-day wash-out period during which the subjects did not receive any further interventions.
- Results
After supplementation with $\text{Ex PLUS}^{\circledR}$, we found a significant increase in the running time by 1.26-fold ($p < 0.05$) to exhaustion compared to that before supplementation and that in the placebo group. In addition, the $\text{Ex PLUS}^{\circledR}$ supplementation group presented significantly reduced blood lactate and blood ammonia concentrations during exercise and at rest after exercise compared with placebo ($p < 0.05$).
- Conclusions
In conclusion, 28 consecutive days of vitamin B complex ($\text{Ex PLUS}^{\circledR}$) supplementation significantly improved exercise endurance performance and reduced exercise fatigue biochemical metabolites in non-athletes. In addition, it does not cause adverse effects in humans when taken at appropriate doses.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10542023/