New Brunswick, NJ—Natreon announced the results from theStrength Training Adaptations and Recovery (STAR) trialfeaturing its Sensoril ashwagandha in a press release.

Sensoril is an adaptogen derived from a blend of leaves and roots of the Withania somnifera plant by an aqueous extraction process.

The STAR trial was conducted at The Center for Applied Health Sciences. It was a 12-week, randomized, parallel group, placebo-controlled, clinical trial designed to examine the impact of Sensoril on strength training adaptations. The subjects were 40 healthy males between the ages of 18-45 years who were active, but who exercised no more than 3 days per week. Subjects received either 500mg/day of Sensoril or a placebo.

The study required participants to follow a weekly exercise program. The program was a four-day-per-week periodized resistance-training program designed by a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. It trained the upper body and lower body two times per week each, with gradually increasing volume and intensity. Participants were instructed on how to progress, and monitored during weekly phone calls.

The subjects in the Sensoril group significantly improved their squat strength by 90%, an increase in leg strength of more than 9kg, compared to the placebo. They also saw a 60% improvement in upper body strength, as assessed by the bench press, by more than 4kg. Sensoril significantly improved perceived recovery by 14% compared to the baseline, while the placebo group showed a significant increase in muscle soreness by more than 40%.

The study noted that this is in line with several other studies that have shown the same results, although none of them—including the STAR trial—employed any of the approaches necessary to determine the method by which Sensoril achieves these changes.

In the press release, Dr. Tim Ziegenfuss, CEO of the Center for Applied Health Sciences, said, “The results of our study help establish an evidence base for this impressive Ayurvedic herb in sports nutrition. The Center for Applied Health Sciences is eager to continue its strategic partnership with Natreon to continue bringing high quality research to consumers.”

Dr. Sanni Raju, CEO of Natreon, said, “Sensoril is a wonderful product and we are proud to work with US based institutes such as CAHS to advance the sports nutrition utility of Sensoril. Furthermore, we are happy that the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center has two investigator initiated studies with Sensoril and a third study in progress at UCLA and University of Maryland. We will continue to demonstrate our focus on expanding science with reputable US institutes.”