THE INFLUENCE OF BOVINE COLOSTRUM SUPPLEMENTATION ON EXERCISE PERFORMANCE IN HIGHLY-TRAINED CYCLISTS

Cecilia M Shing, David G Jenkins, Lesley Stevenson and Jeff S Coombes
Br J Sports Med published online 6 Jul 2006

PURPOSE:  The aim of this experiment was to investigate the influence of low dose bovine colostrum supplementation on exercise performance over a ten week period that included five days of high-intensity training (HIT).

METHODS:  Over seven days of preliminary testing, 29 highly-trained male road cyclists completed a VO_2max  test (in which their ventilatory threshold was estimated), a time to fatigue test at 110% of ventilatory threshold and a 40-km time trial (TT₄₀).  Cyclists were then assigned to either a supplement [n=14, 10g/day bovine colostrum protein concentrate (CPC)] or a placebo group (n=15, 10g/day whey protein) and resumed their normal training.  Following five weeks of supplementation, the cyclists returned to the laboratory to complete a second series of performance testing (week 7).  They then underwent five consecutive days of HIT (week 8) followed by a further series of performance tests (week 9).

RESULTS:  The influence of bovine CPC on TT₄₀ performance during normal training was unclear (week 7: 1+  3.1%, week 9: 0.1 + 2.1% ; mean + 90% confidence limits).  However, at the end of the HIT period bovine CPC supplementation, compared to the placebo, elicited a 1.9 + 2.2% improvement from baseline in TT₄₀ performance, a 2.3 +  6.0% increase in time trial intensity (% VO_2max) and maintained TT₄₀ heart rate (2.5 + 3.7%).  In addition, bovine CPC supplementation prevented a decrease in ventilatory threshold following the HIT period (4.6 + 4.6%).

CONCLUSION:  Low dose bovine CPC supplementation elicited improvements in TT₄₀ performance during a HIT period and maintained ventilatory threshold following five consecutive days of HIT.