MicroLactin and the Effect on Recovery After Exercise

Eighteen highly trained, non seasonal, distanced runners, male and female who consistently had been running for 3 or more years were recruited to participate in a double-blind placebo controlled experiment. The experiment was set up to show the benefits of supplementing with MicroLactin vs a commercially obtained (placebo) milk powder as an ergogenic aid to performance enhancement in non-seasonal, highly trained runners The Experiment:

Eighteen highly trained, non seasonal, distanced runners, male and female who consistently had been running for 3 or more years were recruited to participate in a double-blind placebo controlled experiment. The experiment was set up to show the benefits of supplementing with MicroLactin vs a commercially obtained (placebo) milk powder as an ergogenic aid to performance enhancement in non-seasonal, highly trained runners. The study was conducted on a double blind basis with neither the runners nor the investigator having knowledge of which milk was being taken. Data analysis was likewise conducted on a double blind basis using codes D and E, but without knowledge which contained the MicroLactin and which was placebo.

Study Design:

The controlled study was to last 29 weeks and was to consist of a pretreatment period of 4 weeks during which time all subjects took placebo milk. After a 4 week baseline period, all runners consumed 45 g of placebo nonfat dry milk in water twice daily, runners were then randomized into a MicroLactin milk and a control group, on a double blind basis, and followed for a period of 6 months.

Demographics:

Among them, 10 patients were in the treatment group and 8 in the control group. The mean age was 38 with ages ranging from 28-49.

Running History:

Patients who were randomized to complete the study had an average of 16 years running experience. The distribution between sexes was similar: males 16 years, females 14 years. The average number of miles runners trained per week was 35 miles for females and 32 miles for males.

Performance Criteria:

During the study, 5 out of 10 who consumed MicroLactin had an improvement in their 5k time trail from their baseline run, compared to 2 out of 8 with the non-immune milk. Of the runners who did not improve, 4 taking MicroLactin and 2 drinking non-immune milk ran in cold and windy inclement weather. The most noteworthy finding from these comparisons is the marked reduction in recovery time between training sessions.

Serum Enzymes, rate of return to baseline after exercise: Group averages for serum enzymes CK, LDH, and AP, determined before and at intervals after 5 kilometer time trials are presented in the table below. Serum enzyme return to baseline was markedly faster in the MicroLactin runners compared to placebo controls with regard to CK and LDH. AP was not found to be a very sensitive indicator of exercise or recovery. Creatine kinase (CK) perhaps the most sensitive indicator of muscle damage and recovery, showed a particularly striking response. This can also be shown in the chart below.

Regression analysis of CK recovery rates over time revealed a highly significant (p=0.0034) decrease in recovery time over the 6 month treatment period in the MicroLactin group but no change in the controls.

Significantly improved enzyme recovery rates together with marked improvement in runner perceived recovery times represents strong evidence of anti-inflammatory or tissue sparing effects in well trained athletes under the conditions of the study.

Percentage of Body Fat:

A decrease in body fat was detected in the MicroLactin group during the study. The difference between the MicroLactin and control group was most apparent at 12 weeks. Please see the chart below. Furthermore, the finding that body weight increased slightly while % fat decreased, implies the runners gained muscle mass, not fat during the experimental period.

Overall Results:

The following apparent benefits were detected in the runners consuming MicroLactin:

• Highly significant runner perceived improvement in training
• Improved 5 kilometer race times
• Faster recovery time between training sessions
• Significantly shortened creatine kinase (CK) recovery times
• Slight but significant decrease in % of body fat despite a slight increase of body weight.

At the end of the study, 7 out of 10 runners (70%) who had taken MicroLactin reported overall improvement vs. 2 of 8 with the placebo control milk.

Discussion from Study Director:

Whether an individual is a weekend athlete or an athlete striving for an Olympic gold medal, he/she sets certain performance goals. In order to achieve these goals individuals have tried various ergogenic aids both legal, such as new diets, training techniques, or state of the art equipment and illegal, such an anabolic steroids or blood doping. These athletes hope to find an aid that will give them an “edge” to excel in their sport.

No matter what technique athletes use for performance enhancement, they are unlikely to improve if training is not consistent. When athletes must take time away from training due to muscle soreness, fatigue, or injury, their performance improvement is hindered. It has been proven that after vigorous or unaccustomed exercise, delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) will occur between 8-24 hours after exercise and may persist for 3 or more days. Even though DOMS is not a serious condition it may discourage beginning athletes from further participation in sports and lead to injury in trained athletes if they engage in heavy exercise during this time of soreness. It has been recognized that elevated plasma levels of intra muscular enzymes such as creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) correlate with increased muscle soreness and muscle injury. During the present study the runners were asked to run a 5k time trial at maximal effort in order to elevate serum enzymes and produce muscle soreness. Runners drinking MicroLactin had decreased CK recovery after intense exercise compared to runners drinking the non-immune control milk. Since increased CK levels correlate with increased muscle damage, one can assume that subjects drinking the MicroLactin had less muscular damage after strenuous exercise than subjects drinking non-MicroLactin milk.

Along with measuring serum enzymes, the runners were asked monthly to evaluate athletic performance with regard to length of recovery after a hard workout. Runners on MicroLactin had shorter recovery periods than the runners on the non-immune control milk. With quicker recovery, an athlete can train more consistently at a higher intensity resulting in performance enhancement. This improvement was seen during the study, as reflected in the runners’ 5k time trail. During the study, 5 out of 10 athletes who drank MicroLactin had an improvement in their 5k time trial from their baseline run, compared to 2 out of 8 athletes who drank non-immune milk. Of the runners who did not improve their 5k time trial, 4 of the runners drinking MicroLactin and 2 of the runners drinking non-immune milk ran in cold and windy inclement weather.

The most significant finding was the runners overall perceived improvement. This information was obtained from a monthly performance questionnaire, runner’s diaries (filled out daily), visual analog scale, and a final question which read: “Did you notice any change in performance during the study?” 70% of the runners on MicroLactin noticed a change compared to 25% percent on the non-immune milk.

Throughout the study, percent in body fat was measured. The subjects on MicroLactin showed a decrease in percent of body fat from baseline compared to subjects on non-immune milk. It is generally felt that a low body fat is desirable for successful competition in almost any sport. A strong inverse correlation is seen between percent body fat and performance in those activities in which body mass must be moved through space, either vertically, as in jumping or horizontally, as in running.

These results support the hypothesis that MicroLactin consumed at 45 g twice a day will enhance a runners performance. Even though this study was designed using highly trained, non-seasonal runners, MicroLactin milk might be expected to enhance performance in less dedicated athletes in a variety of sports. Further research would be appropriate with MicroLactin dispensed as a dietary supplement to various kinds of athletes, particularly the weekend athletes, who have high beginner exercise program drop out rates due to severe soreness or injury.