A research team led by Professor Nagatomi of Tohoku University's Graduate School has experimentally clarified for the first time that drinking L-menthol during high-intensity running alleviates breathlessness during exercise and increases endurance exercise capacity.

 L-menthol has a cooling effect and is used as a countermeasure against heat, as well as for relieving sore throats and nasal congestion.However, there have been no studies of suffocation during endurance exercise and its effects on endurance exercise capacity.

 Therefore, the research team conducted a high-intensity running (treadmill running at a constant speed around 90% of the maximum heart rate) test for elite runners, and measured the time until breathlessness and exhaustion during running (endurance exercise capacity). were compared with and without L-menthol solution intake.

 As a result, ingestion of L-menthol solution during high-intensity running relieved suffocation during exercise and extended endurance exercise capacity more than drinking water.After exhaustion, the patient experienced difficulty in breathing (difficulty in breathing) when breathing through the inspiratory resistance of the tube only by drinking water.There was no difference in heart rate during exercise with or without L-menthol, suggesting that alleviation of dyspnea extended endurance exercise capacity.

 L-menthol does not correspond to doping because it is within the range of amounts and concentrations contained in ordinary foods and does not give any special advantage to the respiratory and cardiovascular system.In addition, even people who do not have a habit of endurance exercise such as running or who have a disease can reduce their psychological resistance to exercise by alleviating the suffocation caused by exercise, and increase their receptivity to rehabilitation and exercise therapy. is expected.

Paper information:[European Journal of Sport Science] L-menthol administration facilitates breathing comfort during exhaustive endurance running and improves running capacity in well-trained runners: A randomized crossover study

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