Effects of Applephenon® and ascorbic acid on physical fatigue

Objective We examined the effects of Applephenon® and ascorbic acid administration on physical fatigue. Methods In a double-blinded, placebo-controlled, three-way crossover design, 18 healthy volunteers were randomized to oral Applephenon® (1200 mg/d), ascorbic acid (1000 mg/d), or placebo for 8 d. The fatigue-inducing physical task consisted of workload trials on a bicycle ergometer at fixed workloads for 2 h on two occasions. During the test, subjects performed non-workload trials with maximum velocity for 10 s at 30 min (30-min trial) after the start of the test and 30 min before the end of the test (210-min trial). Results The change in maximum velocity between the 30- and 210-min trials was higher in the group given Applephenon® than in the group given placebo; ascorbic acid had no effect. Conclusion These results suggest that Applephenon® attenuates physical fatigue, whereas ascorbic acid does not.