- 2026-04-24
- Nutrients 18(9)
Study Design
- Type
- Meta-Analysis
- Population
- mice under hypoxic conditions
- Methods
- network meta-analysis to screen plant bioactive compounds and subsequent validation of efficacy and underlying mechanisms through animal experiments
- Rigorous Journal
- Animal Study
Background
Hypoxic environments significantly impair exercise performance, whilst existing interventions are often limited by adverse effects or insufficient efficacy.Objectives and methods
This study employed network meta-analysis to screen plant bioactive compounds that effectively enhance exercise performance under hypoxic conditions, with subsequent validation of the efficacy and underlying mechanisms of their combined formulations through animal experiments.Results
Results from hypoxic mouse experiments demonstrated that supplementation with the plant bioactive compound combination significantly improved exercise performance, as evidenced by increased weight-loaded swimming time and limb grip strength. Differential metabolite analysis revealed that the intervention altered key metabolic pathways, including the biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids and the metabolism of arginine and proline. Supplementation with the plant bioactive compound combination modulated short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production by gut microbiota, decreased levels of lactic acid (LA), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and creatine kinase (CK), maintained blood glucose levels before and after exercise, and increased muscle and hepatic glycogen reserves. These effects collectively improved exercise endurance and performance in mice under hypoxic conditions.Conclusions
The findings provide novel insights into developing functional interventions to enhance exercise performance in hypoxic environments.