The Effect of Echinacea Extract Supplementation with Resistance Training on Selected Inflammatory Markers in Non-Athlete Females

Background: The purpose of present study was to investigate the effect of Echinacea extract supplementation with resistance training on selected inflammatory markers of non-athletic females. Methods: Forty volunteer females (Age: 23.75 ± 4.06, and BMI: 22.10 ± 1.14 kg.m-2) were randomly assigned into five groups: placebo, Echinacea extract, resistance training, resistance training ± placebo, and resistance training ± Echinacea extract (each group 8 people). The subjects parƟcipated in their own intervenƟons for 8 weeks. The resistance training program included 8 week training for 3 days a week.Echinacea extract was taken in capsule at the dose of 8 g per day. Blood samples were taken before and after interventions. TNF-α and IL-1β were measured using Elisa method. Results: There was no significant within group differences in any marker (P>0.05). Furthermore, there was no significant difference between the mean weight (P=0.24), BMI (P=0.25), TNF-α (P=0.11) and IL-1β (P=0.93) changes of the five groups. Conclusions: Eight weeks of Echinacea extract supplementation, resistance training, and combination of them have no significant effect on selected inflammatory factors of non-athlete females, which may be due to having initial normal weight of the subjects, insufficient intervention period or a combination of these factors.