Gynostemma pentaphyllum Improves Endurance Performance and Mitochondrial Respiration in Healthy Male Subjects

by | Dec 19, 2023 | 2023, Botanicals, Fitness and Exercise

Written by Taylor Woosley, Staff Writer. 4-week G. pentaphyllum administration improved exercise performance, reduced plasma leptin levels, and improved mitochondrial respiration in healthy untrained males. 

Men's HealthExercise is an effective lifestyle intervention that has shown antiaging effects by extending lifespan through decreasing hallmarks of aging and age-associated inflammation1. Long-term exercise regimen reduces overall mortality, and physical fitness can be a valuable parameter for diagnostics of age-related diseases2. Previous research has shown that exercise-induced AMPK can regulate energy metabolism and promote mitochondrial biosynthesis in skeletal muscle, participate in the quality control of skeletal muscle, regulate inflammatory responses, and inhibit muscular atrophy3.

The development of natural supplements with efficient recovery ability after exercise is becoming a major research focus4. Gynostemma pentaphyllum is a widely studied herb that contains gypenosides which can help improve exercise tolerance, prevent the rise in lactate levels, and mitigate oxidative stress during exhaustive exercise5. Furthermore, G. pentaphyllum has functions in lowering blood sugar, regulating immunity, and protecting mitochondrial function6.

Nayyar et al. conducted a randomized crossover, placebo-controlled, double-blinded study to analyze the effects of G. pentaphyllum administration on exercise performance, AMPK activity and signaling, and mitochondrial function in healthy males. Subject inclusion consisted of males (aged 18-35 years) who did not participate in exercise and had a BMI less than 25 kg/m2. Two different measures, the steady-state cycling (SS) and time to exhaustion (TtE) tests and a 20 km time trial (TT), were utilized to assess the effects of G. pentaphyllum supplementation or placebo on aerobic exercise performance.

All subjects completed a graded exercise test (GXT) to determine their peak aerobic power and peak aerobic power (VO2peak) was analyzed during a symptom-limited GXT on a cycle-ergometer. Dietary intake was controlled for the 3 days prior to the GXT. Participants underwent a familiarization of the TtE and TT within a week of the GXT to reduce daily test-retest variability between trials. Furthermore, one familiarization was completed of the 20 km TT. Two weeks after the familiarization process, subjects were given either the G. pentaphyllum supplement or a placebo for 4 weeks and then completed the SS + TtT and TT, separated by two days. Then participants completed a four-week washout period before following a 4-week supplementation period of the alternative supplement.

The G. pentaphyllum supplement contained 225 mg of G. pentaphyllum dried leaf extract and 275 mg of maltodextrin. The placebo contained 500 mg of maltodextrin. All participants were informed to consume two capsules of their specified supplement once daily with their morning meal. Muscle samples were taken from the vastus lateralis from all subjects at rest (0 min), at the midpoint (30 min), and at the conclusion of the 60 min SS exercise. Fasted blood samples were obtained prior to muscle biopsy and exercise to measure total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, and total triglycerides. Furthermore, plasma samples were collected to analyze leptin and adiponectin levels. Total RNA extraction from muscle samples were utilized to analyze the effect of G. pentaphyllum on fat and carbohydrate metabolism and mitochondrial biogenesis.

Paired t-test or paired t-test with Wilcoxon correction was utilized to assess significant differences in participant’s characteristics, 20 km TT performance and TtE between groups. Significant findings of the study are as follows:

  • Following four weeks of G. pentaphyllum supplementation, resting plasma glucose and leptin concentrations were lower and HDL levels were higher. No other differences were noted in blood cholesterol or triglyceride levels.
  • Subjects consuming G. pentaphyllum completed the 20 km TT faster (112 ± 61 s) compared to placebo (2747 ± 121 vs. 2634 ± 101; p < 0.05).
  • When comparing the change in O2 flux in paired resting (0 min) and post exercise (60 min) samples, the maximal OXPHOS capacity was reduced while consuming G. pentaphyllum compared to placebo (p < 0.05).
  • A lower total protein content of AMPK-α was noted in skeletal muscle after 30 minutes of exercise with the G. pentaphyllum administration, compared with 0 min (p < 0.05).

Results of the study show that G. pentaphyllum supplementation improved physical performance, mitochondrial respiration, and plasma leptin levels in healthy untrained males. Further research should continue to explore the potential benefits of G. pentaphyllum administration on skeletal muscle and endurance performance.

Source: Nayyar, Deepti, Xu Yan, Guoqin Xu, Min Shi, Andrew P. Garnham, Michael L. Mathai, and Andrew J. McAinch. “Gynostemma Pentaphyllum Increases Exercise Performance and Alters Mitochondrial Respiration and AMPK in Healthy Males.” Nutrients 15, no. 22 (2023): 4721.

© 2023 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://
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Posted December 19, 2023.

Taylor Woosley studied biology at Purdue University before becoming a 2016 graduate of Columbia College Chicago with a major in Writing. She currently resides in Glen Ellyn, IL.

References:

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