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Peppermint essential oil (Mentha piperita L.) increases time to exhaustion in runners

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Abstract

Purpose

This study aimed to evaluate the capacity of peppermint essential oil to improve the physical performance of runners in running protocol until exhaustion.

Methods

In a clinical, randomized, double-blind, cross-over and controlled study, fourteen male recreational runners (37.1 ± 2.0 years; 24 ± 1.1 kg/m2; 53.1 ± 1.7 mL kg min) performed two runs to exhaustion at 70% of VO2max, after intake of 500 mL of water added with 0.05 mL of peppermint essential oil (PEO) or placebo (PLA), plus 400 mL of the drink during the initial part of the exercise. Records were made of body temperature (BT), thermal sensation (TS), thermal comfort (TC), subjective perception of effort (SPE), sweat rate (SR), and urine volume and density.

Results

Time to exhaustion was 109.9 ± 6.9 min in PEO and 98.5 ± 6.2 min in PLA (p = 0.009; effect size: 0.826). No significant changes were observed in the values of BT, TS, TC, SPE, SR, lost body mass, and urine volume and density (p > 0.05).

Conclusion

Peppermint essential oil added to water before and during a race significantly increases the time to exhaustion of recreational runners but without altering BT, TS, TC, or hydration status, so the mechanisms involved were not clarified in this study.

Brazilian registry of clinical trials (ReBEC)

RBR-75zt25z.

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Data availability

The database that supports the results and analyses presented in this article can be requested from the authors by email at any time.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Federal University of Paraiba (UFPB) and the Laboratory for the Study of Physical Training Applied to Performance and Health (LETFADS/UFPB) for their support in providing the entire physical working structure for the development of the study. They also thank the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) for the financial support in providing the scholarship.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Postgraduate Program in Nutrition Sciences, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Paraíba, Campus I, University City, João Pessoa, Paraíba, 58059-900, Brazil

    Manoel Miranda Neto & Alexandre Sérgio Silva

  2. Laboratory of Physical Training Studies Applied to Performance and Health, Federal University of Paraíba, João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil

    Ana Carolina Freitas Meireles

  3. Food Technology Department, Center for Technology and Regional Development, Federal University of Paraíba, Campus I, João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil

    Maristela Alves Alcântara & Angela Maria Tribuzy de Magalhães Cordeiro

  4. Associate Postgraduate Program in Physical Education, University of Pernambuco/Federal University of Paraíba, João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil

    Alexandre Sérgio Silva

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  1. Manoel Miranda Neto
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  2. Ana Carolina Freitas Meireles
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  3. Maristela Alves Alcântara
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Correspondence to Alexandre Sérgio Silva.

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Miranda Neto, M., Meireles, A.C.F., Alcântara, M.A. et al. Peppermint essential oil (Mentha piperita L.) increases time to exhaustion in runners. Eur J Nutr 62, 3411–3422 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-023-03235-4

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