Blackcurrant sports performance research enters 'new territory' with latest CurraNZ studies

BRITISH sports scientists have released six new performance study abstracts on CurraNZ, showcasing important new findings that ‘take blackcurrant into new territory’ and confirm the potent effects of our special berry extract.

Here, in our series of blogs, we share these new insights.

Two studies on fat oxidation (burning), prove again that blackcurrant favours fat as fuel during moderate-intensity exercise, with even bigger effects when taken for a longer period.

Study one: Blackcurrant is MORE effective
when taken for longer, but MUST be used daily

In the first CurraNZ study, performed on brisk walking in men, scientists found that the effects on fat burning jumped from 10% after seven days’ intake, to 16% after two weeks’ intake. They also found blackcurrant had no effect on fat burning if the supplement was consumed every second day.

Scientists believe the effects will be even greater in women, because they have higher fat-burning rates than men.

TAKE-HOME MESSAGE: Two capsules of Curranz daily over longer periods delivers better fat burning effects, but does not work if used sporadically or intermittently.

Study two: Blackcurrant increases fat burning 30%when exercising in the heat

Researchers have found that blackcurrant extract can also ‘substantially’ influence fat oxidation (burning) during moderate exertion in hot conditions.

The body burns less fat and more carbohydrate when exercising in the heat, compared to ‘normal’ temperatures. This new research suggests that blackcurrant extract is somehow counteracting the decline in fat burning that occurs in hot conditions.

The study, performed on 12 men and six women on a treadmill in 34°C, 40% humidity, showed that CurraNZ increased fat use by on average 30% compared to the group not supplemented on blackcurrant. 

Mark Willems, Professor of Sports and Exercise Physiology at the University of Chichester (UK), says: “What we are seeing here is blackcurrant causes a really substantial increase to fat oxidation in the heat. It may help restore fat burning closer to rates associated with exercise in normal conditions. 

 “We weren’t expecting to find anything, so we have no idea why blackcurrant is providing such a stimulus in these conditions.

“An increase of 30% is a very high value for a supplement, even in a fasted state. For some reason, the combination of polyphenols and heat is having a big effect. We don’t know the reason but it’s a very exciting finding.”