Tuesday Aug 12, 2014 (foodconsumer.org) -- Scientists at University Putra Malaysia in Selangor, Malaysia have recently published a study in Indian Journal Medical Research suggesting that gamma oryzanol supplementation can help improve muscle strength in healthy males following chronic resistance exercise training.

Gamma oryzanol is an antioxidant found in rice bran oil and wheat bran and some fruits and vegetables and it is commonly used as a nutritional supplement to improve muscular strength in athletes.

In the current study, 16 out of 30 healthy volunteers were treated with gamma oryzanol supplements in a dose of 600 mg per day and 14 with placebo after chronic resistance exercise training for nine weeks.  Volunteers exercised with 80% 1-Repetition Maximum (1-RM) for one hour a day and four days a week.

As a result, the participants receiving gamma oryzanol had different 1-RM of bench press and leg curl compared with those receiving placebo indicating that gamma oryzanol supplementation improved muscle strength after resistance exercise training even though the supplement did not change anthropometric and body measurements.

The study concluded" Our findings indicated that 600 mg/day gamma oryzanol supplementation during the 9-week resistance training did not change anthropometric and body measurements, but it increased muscular strength in young healthy males. Further, studies need to be done in trained athletes, women, and in patients who suffer from muscular fatigue."

In addition to improving strength during resistance training, Gamma-oryzanol has been also used to control high cholesterol and menopausal symptoms, slow aging, and increase testosterone and human growth hormone levels.  (David Liu)

Eslami S, Esa NM, Marandi SM, Ghasemi G, Eslami S.  Effects of gamma oryzanol supplementation on anthropometric measurements & muscular strength in healthy males following chronic resistance training. Indian J Med Res. 2014 Jun;139(6):857-63.