ABSTRACT
Background:Physical performance depends on physical fitness. Fit persons can accomplish the tasks. Fitness is modifiable and hence the fitness level can be increased. In this background a need was felt to validate the efficacy of the Amrut Pushti Vardhak(APV)powder, a product developed by DFRL Mysore, for its physical performance enhancing activity by fitness tests. The result of pre-clinical study of the product was encouraging; hence clinical trial was taken up.Methods:All norms of good clinical practiceand ethics were abided. The subjects were assigned in two homogenous groups, as control and trial groups. The trial group was given APVpowder 30gms/day for 21 days in the morning. The other group served as negative control. To evaluate the efficacy modified Harward step test was conducted before and after the intervention.Results:The test group showed statistically significant increase in the duration of exercise with pvalue 0.027 and increase in physical fitness index(PFI)with p value 0.01. The test group also showed statistically significant increase in the maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) (p=0.004). The increase in physical fitness level can be attributed to ingredients of APVpowder.Conclusions:Healthy volunteers who received APVpowder 30 gms/day for the duration of 21 days reported statistically significant increase in their duration of exercise, PFIand VO2max. This indicates the APVpowder increases in the physical fitness level.