Effects of New Zealand blackcurrant extract on sport climbing performance

Purpose Blood flow to skeletal muscles and removal of metabolic by-products during a sport climb are essential to optimise performance and recovery. New Zealand blackcurrant (NZBC) extract enhanced blood flow and performance in other exercise modalities. We examined the effect of NZBC extract on sport climbing performance and recovery. Methods The study employed a double-blind, randomized, cross-over design. Male sport climbers (n=18, age 24±6 yrs, height 179±6 cm, mass 71.4±7.8 kg, French grade 6a-8b) undertook 7 days supplementation of NZBC extract (600 mg·day-1 CurraNZ™ containing 210 mg anthocyanins) or a placebo (PL). Climbing ability was assessed through hang time (HT), pull-ups and total climbing time (TCT) in 3 intermittent climbing bouts on a Treadwall M6 rotating climbing wall to exhaustion with 20 min recovery between climbs. Heart rate (HR), blood lactate (BL), forearm girth (FG) and hand grip strength (HGS) were recorded. Results NZBC extract had no effect on pull-ups but provided a trend for higher HT and significantly improved TCT (+23%) compared to PL (-11%) over 3 climbs. HR, BL, FG and HGS all indicated that 20 minutes was insufficient for physiological recovery between the 3 climbing bouts indicating accumulative fatigue regardless of condition. Conclusion Despite indices of progressive fatigue across 3 bouts of climbing, NZBC extract facilitated not only a maintenance of TCT but an improved climbing endurance as compared with the PL condition. Blackcurrant anthocyanin-derived metabolites seems to affect physiological responses that facilitate sport climbing performance