More research needed to determine if ingesting Russian Tarragon prior to creatine supplementation affects muscle creatine content and/or performance

2012 International Society of Sports Nutrition Annual Meeting Abstracts

June 23, 2012

The following abstracts and posters were presented at the 2012 International Society of Sports Nutrition Annual Meeting in Clearwater, FL. These abstracts will be published this fall in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.

Effects of Short-Term Ingestion of Russian Tarragon Prior to Creatine Monohydrate Supplementation on Whole Body and Muscle Creatine Retention: A Preliminary Investigation
J. M. Oliver¹, A. R. Jagim¹, A. C. Sanchez¹, K. Kelley¹, E. Galvan¹, J. Fluckey¹, S. Riechman¹, M. Greenwood¹, R. Jäger², M. Purpura², I. Pischel³, R. B. Kreider¹¹Department of Health and Kinesiology, Exercise and Sport Nutrition Laboratory, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-4243, USA; ²Increnovo LLC, 2138 E Lafayette Pl, Milwaukee, WI 53202, USA; ³PhytoLab GmbH & Co. KG, Dutendorfer Straße 5-7, 91487 Vestenbergsgreuth, Germany.

Background
It has been well-established that creatine monohydrate (CrM) increases whole body creatine retention and muscle creatine content. Extracts of Russian Tarragon (RT) have been reported to produce anti-hyperglycemic effects [1] and influence plasma creatine levels during the ingestion of CrM [2]. Theoretically, RT ingestion with CrM may promote greater creatine retention than ingesting CrM alone. The purpose of this preliminary study was to determine if short-term, low-dose aqueous RT extract ingestion prior to CrM supplementation influences whole body creatine retention or muscle creatine content.

Methods
In a double-blind, randomized, and crossover manner; 10 untrained males (20±2 yrs; 179±9 cm; 91.3±34 kg) ingested 500 mg of aqueous Tarragon extract (Finzelberg, Andernach, Germany) or 500 mg of a placebo (P) 30-minutes prior to ingesting 5 g of CrM (Creapure^®, AlzChem AG, Germany) (CrM+RT). Subjects ingested the supplements two times per day (morning and evening) for 5-days and then repeated the experiment after a 6-week wash-out period. Urine was collected at baseline and during each of the 5-days of supplementation to determine urine creatine content. Whole body creatine retention was estimated as the difference from orally ingested CrM (10 g/d) from the amount of creatine excreted daily in urine. Muscle biopsies were also obtained from the vastus lateralis at baseline and after 3 and 5 days of supplementation for determination of muscle free creatine content. Data were analysed by MANOVA with repeated measures.

Results
Daily urinary excretion of creatine increased in both groups from baseline (0.4±0.5; 1.9±1.4, 3.5±2.4, 4.4±3.2, 3.9±2.6, 5.2±3.1 g/d; p=0.001) with no differences observed between groups (CrM+P 0.34±0.4, 1.9±1.6, 3.5±2.3, 4.7±3.3, 3.2±2.8, 5.0±3.4; CrM+RT 0.5±0.6, 1.7±1.1, 3.4±2.7, 4.2±3.3, 4.6±2.2, 5.4±3/2 g/d; p=0.59). Whole body daily creatine retention increased following supplementation (0.0±0.0; 8.2±1.4, 6.5±2.4, 5.6±3.2, 6.1±2.6, 4.8±3.2 g/d; p=0.001) with no differences observed between groups (CrM+P 0.0±0.0, 8.1±1.6, 6.5±2.4, 5.3±3.2, 6.8±2.8, 5.0±3.4; CrM+RT 0.0±0.0, 8.3±1.1, 6.6±2.7, 5.8±3.3, 5.4±2.2, 4.6±3.2 g/d; p=0.59). Total whole body creatine retention during the supplementation period were not significantly different among groups expressed in total grams retained (CrM+P 31.7±11.1; CrM+RT 30.6±10.3 g; p=0.82) or percentage retained (CrM+P 63.4±22.3%; CrM+RT 61.2±19.9%; p=0.82) over the supplementation period. There was significant variability in muscle phosphagen levels, therefore, only muscle free creatine data are reported. After 3 and 5-days of supplementation, respectively, both supplementation protocols demonstrated a significant increase in muscle free creatine content from baseline (4.8±16.7, 15.5±23.6 mmol/kg DW, p=0.01) with no significant differences observed between groups (CrM+P 9.3±14.3, 22.8±28.2; CrM+RT 0.3±18.4, 8.1±16.2 mmol/kg DW; p=0.34). In percentage terms, muscle free creatine content in both groups increased over time (p=0.008) by 10.9±27% and 23.5±34% after 3 and 5-days, respectively, with no differences observed between groups (CrM+P 0.0±0.0, 21.1±30, 37.3±42; CrM+RT 0.0±0.0, 0.7±21, 9.6±18 %, p=0.13).

Conclusions
Results indicate that ingesting as little as 5g of CrM taken twice daily increases total muscle creatine content by 23.5±34.5%. However, our preliminary findings indicate that ingesting RT 30-min prior to CrM supplementation did not affect whole body creatine retention or muscle free creatine content during a short-period of creatine supplementation (10 g/d for 5-days) in comparison to ingesting a placebo prior to CrM supplementation. Additional research is needed with a larger sample size to examine: 1.) whether ingestion of greater amounts of RT prior to and/or in conjunction with CrM ingestion would affect creatine retention; 2.) whether ingestion of RT with CrM over longer periods of time would affect creatine retention; and, 3.) whether co-ingesting RT with CrM and carbohydrate may reduce the need for ingesting carbohydrate with CrM in order to promote greater creatine retention.

Funding
Supported by the Martin Bauer Group, Finzelberg GmbH & Co. KG

References
1. Pischel I, Burkard N, Kauschka M, Butterweck V, Bloomer RJ: Potential application of Russian Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus L.) in health and sports. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2011, 8(Suppl 1):P16.
2. Jäger R, Kendrick IP, Purpura M, Harris RC, Ribnicky DM, Pischel I: The effect of Russian Tarragon (artemisia dracunculus L.) on the plasma creatine concentration with creatine monohydrate administration. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2008, 5(Suppl 1):P4.

Effects of Short-Term Ingestion of Russian Tarragon Prior to Creatine Monohydrate Supplementation on Anaerobic Sprint Capacity: A Preliminary Investigation
M. Greenwood¹, J. M. Oliver¹, A. R. Jagim¹, A. C. Sanchez¹, K. Kelley¹, E. Galvan¹, J. Fluckey¹, S. Riechman¹, R. Jäger², M. Purpura², I. Pischel³, R. B. Kreider¹ ¹Department of Health and Kinesiology, Exercise and Sport Nutrition Laboratory, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-4243, USA; ²Increnovo LLC, 2138 E Lafayette Pl, Milwaukee, WI 53202, USA; ³PhytoLab GmbH & Co. KG, Dutendorfer Straße 5-7, 91487 Vestenbergsgreuth, Germany.

Background
The improvement in anaerobic exercise capacity associated with supplementation with creatine monohydrate (CrM) has been well established. Extracts of Russian Tarragon (RT) have been reported to produce anti-hyperglycemic effects [1] and influence plasma creatine levels during the ingestion of CrM [2]. Theoretically, RT ingestion may enhance creatine retention and thereby promote greater ergogenic benefit compared to CrM supplementation alone. The purpose of this study was to determine if short-term, low-dose aqueous RT extract ingestion prior to CrM supplementation influences anaerobic sprint performance.

Methods
In a double-blind, randomized, and crossover manner; 9 untrained males (20±1 yrs; 180±11 cm; 79.9±14 kg) ingested 500 mg of aqueous Tarragon extract (Finzelberg, Andernach, Germany) or 500 mg of a placebo (P) 30-minutes prior to ingesting 5 g of CrM (Creapure^®, AlzChem AG, Germany) (CrM+RT). Subjects ingested the supplements two times per day (morning and evening) for 5-days and then repeated the experiment after a 6-week wash-out period. Subjects performed two 30-second Wingate Anaerobic Capacity (WAC) tests at baseline, days 3 and 5 of supplementation protocol on an electronically braked cycle ergometer (Lode, Netherlands) interspersed with 3 minutes rest for determination of peak power (PP), mean power (MP), and total work (TW). Data were analysed by repeated measures MANOVA on 9 subjects who completed both trials. Data are presented as changes from baseline after 3 and 5 days for the CrM+P and CrM+RT groups, respectively.

Results
Absolute MP (9.2±57, 34.5±57 W; p=0.02), percent change in MP (2.5±11, 6.7±10%; p=0.03), absolute TW (274±1,700, 1,031±1,721 J; p=0.02), and percent change in TW (2.5±11, 6.6±10 %; p=0.03), increased over time in both groups. No significant time effects for both groups were observe in changes from baseline in absolute PP (-15.3±446, -65.7±402 W; p=0.73) or percent change in PP (1.8±21, -1.2±24 %; p=0.82). No significant differences were observed between CrM+P and CrM+RT groups in day 0, 3, or 5 PP (CrM+P 1,472±451, 1,425±182, 1,380±244; CrM+RT 1,559±214, 1,565±398, 1,519±339 W; p=0.92), MP (CrM+P 591±94, 599±89, 643±83; CrM+RT 590±103, 601±78, 608±96 W; p=0.27), or TW (CrM+P 17,742±2,822, 17,970±2,663, 19,264±2,481; CrM+RT 17,706±3,098, 18,029±2,339, 18,246±2,888 J; p=0.28).

Conclusions
Results suggest as little as 5g CrM taken twice daily for 3-5 days can improve MP and TW by 2-7%. However, results of this preliminary study indicate that ingesting RT 30-min prior to CrM supplementation had no additive effects on anaerobic sprint capacity in comparison to ingesting CrM with a placebo. Additional research is needed to examine whether ingestion of larger amounts of CrM in order to reduce variability, or larger amounts, changes in nutrient timing or increased duration of RT supplementation prior to and/or in conjunction with CrM ingestion would influence the ergogenic benefits of creatine supplementation.

Funding
Supported by the Martin Bauer Group, Finzelberg GmbH & Co. KG