Although peppermint makes for a nice tea and has been known for its gastrointestinal benefits, a research study has investigated the effects of peppermint oil on performance.

The study involved twelve healthy male students consuming a 500ml bottle of mineral water which contained peppermint essential oil for ten days. Blood pressure, heart rate and measures of respiratory function were made pre- and post- intervention including forced vital capacity, peak expiratory flow and peak inspiratory flow, as well as participants undergoing an exercise test in which parameters of exercise performance were also measured.

They found an increase in respiratory efficiency and energy expenditure during exercise following peppermint supplementation. Time to exhaustion, work, power and distance also increased after supplementation, along with a reduction in resting and exercise heart rates post-test. The findings suggest that peppermint oil supplementation may be beneficial to exercise performance.

The potential mechanisms responsible for this have been attributed to the potential relaxation of bronchial smooth muscles, an increase in ventilation (to improve respiratory efficiency) and brain oxygen concentration and a decrease in blood lactate level (reducing levels of fatigue).

Although the study provides support for the effectiveness of peppermint oil supplementation to improve exercise performance, it lacks population validity (it only looked at the effects on twelve healthy male students) and did not compare against a control group. Further research is therefore required before any conclusions can be made.

Adie Blanchard – Researcher

Source

Meamarbashi, A., & Rajabi, A. (2013). The effects of peppermint on exercise performance. J Int Soc Sports Nutr, 10(1), 15.