The news is bright for the New Zealand blackcurrant industry, with a recent meta-analysis study showing that properties
in Adaptive™ New Zealand blackcurrants can improve sports performance.
A meta-analysis conducted by scientists from the University of Auckland and Plant & Food Research, and just published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, has concluded that
the unique balance of anthocyanins in Adaptive™ New Zealand blackcurrants clearly improve sports performance.
While numerous scientific studies have looked at the health benefits of berries, including blackcurrants, no previous
studies have evaluated the overall scientific evidence around whether, and by how much, Adaptive™ New Zealand
blackcurrants improve sports performance.
According to this meta-analysis, which included 9 clinical studies, consuming Adaptive™ New Zealand blackcurrants could
improve sports performance by 0.45% compared to a placebo. For a natural, plant-based, performance enhancer this is a
significant result – especially considering the average difference between gold and silver at the Rio Olympics was
0.54%. By contrast, caffeine, which has been promoted as the best legal performance enhancer currently on offer, can
improve sports performance by 0.41%.
What makes New Zealand’s blackcurrants effective for sports performance? This study, as well as other previous studies,
raise the possibility that, in addition to improving blood flow, New Zealand blackcurrants may prime the body’s master
antioxidant regulator, helping to mediate the benefits of training on oxidative stress management, inflammation and
immunity.
Timing of intake is also highlighted in this review, with one to two hours prior to activity indicated as most
effective, along with optimum dosage – with the effective dose appearing to be between 105-210mg of Adaptive™ New
Zealand blackcurrant anthocyanins.
While all berries have high concentrations of anthocyanins, not all berries are equal. The physiological effects of
different berries suggest that they don’t all have the same bioactivity. When it comes to athletic performance, New
Zealand blackcurrants may pack a little more punch than other berries.
The Adaptive™ New Zealand blackcurrant brand assures consumers that they’re getting genuine New Zealand grown
blackcurrants. The Adaptive™ product contains the combination of anthocyanins not found in other berries or
blackcurrants grown elsewhere in the world in the quantities that are required to have a biological effect.