Abstract
A double blind, placebo-controlled, randomized human study was conducted to evaluate the effect of <em>Morinda citrifolia</em> (noni) fruit juice on aerobic fitness of cyclists. Twenty volunteers drank 120 mL of noni juice, or a placebo, for 14 days. Another 10 volunteers comprised a reference group. Modest increases in oxygen uptake at 50 Watt workload (p = 0.005) and VO<sub>2</sub> max (p = 0.009) occurred in the noni juice group, but a longer study is needed. However, the results suggest that fitness benefits previously observed in a three week clinical trial may begin to appear in some individuals within 2 weeks of noni juice supplementation. Phytochemicals present in noni juice, but not in the placebo, were scopoletin (17.07±0.64 μg/mL), asperulosidic acid (36.00±11.27 μg/mL) and deacetylasperulosidic acid (435.67±46.48 μg/mL). The noni juice evaluated in this trial did not contain any anabolic androgenic steroids or stimulants. Therefore, the fitness promoting properties of noni juice may be associated predominantly with presence of iridoids.
Highlights
Food factors play an important role in physical fitness (Aoi, 2009)
The aim of the current study is to evaluate the influence of noni juice on measurements of aerobic fitness and investigate phytochemical constituents potentially responsible for this activity
Noni fruit juice and placebo were supplied by Tahitian Noni International, Inc. (Provo, Utah, USA)
Summary
Food factors play an important role in physical fitness (Aoi, 2009). Intake of the recommended quantities of nutrients is essential for maintenance of health, but additional supplementation may aid in the development of improved fitness and endurance (Camic et al, 2010; Chen et al, 2010; Hoffman et al, 2010; Lukaski et al, 1983; Newhouse and Finstad, 2000). Among the plant based foods that have the potential to improve fitness and physical performance is Morinda citrifolia, commonly known as noni. Noni is a small tree that is widely distributed across the tropics. It has been consumed traditionally as a food and for the promotion of health (Morton, 1992). The list of potential health benefits from noni fruit includes improved endurance and physical performance. Noni fruit juice was reported to increase endurance in aged mice in the forced swim and rotarod tests (Ma et al, 2008). Noni juice increased time-to-fatigue in treadmill tests involving competitive runners, an effect that was associated with increased antioxidant status (Palu et al, 2008)
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