What it is Optygen is manufactured by a company called First Endurance, founded by two endurance athletes. This product is marketed as a training supplement that helps improve endurance and recovery. The ingredients of Optygen are the following: 200 µg chromium, 1000 mg cordyceps CS-4, 300 mg rhodiola extract, and 800 mg ATPro™ Matrix. The final ingredient is a blend of calcium pyruvate, sodium phosphate, potassium phosphate, ribose and adenosine. First Endurance claims that Optygen will improve performance by increasing the body’s use of oxygen, increase ATP production, and improve glucose metabolism. Through these effects, the company claims that Optygen will increase anaerobic threshold, VO2max and fuel delivery to the muscle, thus increasing aerobic performance. The company also offers an overview of the research concerning the ingredients of Optygen in their Research Packet, downloadable from their website.
What it costs It comes in capsule form, 90 per bottle at a price of $49.95. I have seen it on various distributor websites for $39.95. The recommended amount is 6 capsules per day for 7 days followed by a maintenance period of 3 capsules per day. This means one bottle will last 23 days if taken as recommended. I could not find any information concerning the length of time one should continue the maintenance phase. If you like Optygen well enough and continue to take it for maintenance, it will cost about $1.33 per day ($2.66 per day during the loading phase).
The real evidence I looked at 11 studies (excluded 1) and 2 review articles that investigated the ergogenic effects of an ingredient or a mixture of ingredients found in Optygen in exercising humans. All studies and reviews are published in reputable peer-reviewed scientific journals, meaning they were held to high standards. Most studies included only male athletes, a few included non-athletes (men) and one study included both men and women (De Bock et al). Most studies reported using a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled design, all of which are necessary for sound results. A couple studies did not mention whether or not they randomized. A couple studies used the crossover design, meaning the same participants received both the placebo and the treatment, with a wash-out period in between. Assuming the wash-out periods are adequate, the crossover design is more powerful statistically speaking compared to studies that compared two different groups of people. I found one study that tested Optygen (Earnest et al). There are actually 2 studies published that tested Optygen, but the studies come from the same investigators (Colson et al, Earnest et al). One of these studies (Colson et al) reported the results using half the number of participants as the first study, therefore, only one of these studies is worth interpreting (Earnest et al). I found one study (Parcell et al) that tested cordyseps using a product called CordyMax CS-4, which was given in doseages of 3 g/day. I found 3 studies that tested rhodolia rosea (De Bock et al, Wing et al, Walker et al) and one review article on this ingredient (Walker & Robergs). I found two studies (Volek et al, Davis et al) that tested chromium supplements and one review article on this topic (Lukaski) And last, I found 3 studies that investigated the effects of ribose (Peveler et al, Kerksick et al, Berardi et al). Most of these studies tested aerobic capacity or some related test like ventilatory threshold or time to fatigue. One study tested other performance variables such as muscle strength, reaction time, limb movement speed and sustained attention (De Bock et al).
The bottomline None of these ingredients alone or as a mixture such as that found in Optygen resulted in improved aerobic capacity or endurance. The only study that indicated a positive effect showed that one dose of rhodolia rosea increased aerobic capacity, but when taken over a 4-week period, it had no further benefits. In their review article on rhodolia rosea’s ergogenic effects, Walker and Roberg summarized the results of studies (including those coming out of Russia and with non- human animals) and concluded that rhodolia rosea’s effects are more promising as an antioxidant, not as a performance-enhancer. Antioxidants may help speed up recovery from intense exercise, but this has yet to be substantiated from research. With respect to Optygen, only one ingredient in the mixture, rhodolia rosea, shows remote promise for athletes. But, Walker & Robergs also point out that some study participants complained of severe headaches while taking the rhodolia.
The final score for Optygen out of a possible 5 points: 1
References Berardi JM, Ziegenfuss TN. Effects of ribose supplementation on repeated sprint performance in men. J Strength Cond Res. 2003 Feb;17(1):47-52.
Davis JM, Welsh RS, Alerson NA. Effects of carbohydrate and chromium ingestion during intermittent high-intensity exercise to fatigue. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2000 Dec;10(4):476-85.
De Bock K, Eijnde BO, Ramaekers M, Hespel P. Acute Rhodiola rosea intake can improve endurance exercise performance. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2004 Jun;14(3):298-307.
Earnest CP, Morss GM, Wyatt F, Jordan AN, Colson S, Church TS, Fitzgerald Y, Autrey L, Jurca R, Lucia A. Effects of a commercial herbal-based formula on exercise performance in cyclists. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2004 Mar;36(3):504-9.
Kerksick C, Rasmussen C, Bowden R, Leutholtz B, Harvey T, Earnest C, Greenwood M, Almada A, Kreider R. Effects of ribose supplementation prior to and during intense exercise on anaerobic capacity and metabolic markers. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2005 Dec;15(6):653-64.
Lukaski HC. Magnesium, zinc, and chromium nutriture and physical activity. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000 Aug;72(2 Suppl):585S-93S.
Parcell AC, Smith JM, Schulthies SS, Myrer JW, Fellingham G. Cordyceps Sinensis (CordyMax Cs-4) supplementation does not improve endurance exercise performance. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2004 Apr;14(2):236-42.
Peveler WW, Bishop PA, Whitehorn EJ. Effects of ribose as an ergogenic aid. J Strength Cond Res. 2006 Aug;20(3):519-22.
Volek JS, Silvestre R, Kirwan JP, Sharman MJ, Judelson DA, Spiering BA, Vingren JL, Maresh CM, Vanheest JL, Kraemer WJ. Effects of chromium supplementation on glycogen synthesis after high-intensity exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2006 Dec;38(12):2102-9.
Walker TB, Altobelli SA, Caprihan A, Robergs RA. Failure of Rhodiola rosea to alter skeletal muscle phosphate kinetics in trained men. Metabolism. 2007 Aug;56 (8):1111-7.
Walker TB, Robergs RA. Does Rhodiola rosea possess ergogenic properties? Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2006 Jun;16(3):305-15.
Wing SL, Askew EW, Luetkemeier MJ, Ryujin DT, Kamimori GH, Grissom CK. Lack of effect of Rhodiola or oxygenated water supplementation on hypoxemia and oxidative stress. Wilderness Environ Med. 2003 Spring;14(1):9-16.
Written in 2007
Optygen
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