TY - JOUR AB - Intense and prolonged exercise leads to immune suppression, causing upper respiratory tract infections (URTI). A proprietary standardized dietary supplement, IQP‑AS‑119 has been previously developed to aid immune responses under such conditions. The current randomized, double‑blind, placebo‑controlled pilot study aimed to investigate the effects of IQP‑AS‑119 on marathon runners. A total of 80 participants were randomized equally into groups receiving either placebo (P group) or IQP‑AS‑119 (V group) treatment, starting 3 weeks before and for 14 days after the marathon. Benefit assessment was performed using different questionnaires. Post‑marathon, the V and P groups reported 1±2.38 and 2.11±3.25 days with upper respiratory tract symptoms (URTS), respectively (P=0.038). During the 14 days post‑marathon, 20.0% of the participants in the V group compared with 44.4% in the P group reported URTS (P=0.042). The V group reported significantly milder URTS compared with the P group on Days 9, 12, 13 and 14 post‑marathon (P<0.05). The total Perceived Stress Questionnaire‑20 score on days 2‑14 were significantly lower for the V group compared with the P group (P=0.035). In the Short Form 12 Health Survey, the V group exhibited significant improvement in mental composite score on days ‑5 to 14 compared with the P group (P=0.038). In the overall treatment effect assessment, there were no statistically significant differences between the groups. The IQP‑AS‑119 was rated ‘very good’ or ‘good’ by investigators and participants, respectively, for 71 and 65% of the participants. The tolerability of IQP‑AS‑119 was rated as ‘very good’ or ‘good’ by both investigators and 95% of participants. No clinically relevant differences were observed between groups regarding adverse events or other safety parameters. Therefore, IQP‑AS‑119 was demonstrated to reduce the incidence and severity of URTI in marathon runners. Given its good tolerability profile, IQP‑AS‑119 may be a good nutritional supplement for the reduction of URTS in susceptible individuals. AD - Analyze & Realize GmbH, D‑13467 Berlin, Germany InQpharm Group Sdn Bhd, Kuala Lumpur 50480, Malaysia AU - Bongartz,Udo AU - Hochmann,Uwe AU - Pohl,Ute AU - Bothe,Gordana AU - De Costa,Patricia AU - Chong,Pee-Win AU - Chew,Lynette AU - Uebelhack,Ralf DA - 2021/02/01 DO - 10.3892/etm.2020.9575 IS - 2 JO - Exp Ther Med KW - garlic immune IQP‑AS‑119 marathon upper respiratory tract infection PY - 2021 SN - 1792-0981 1792-1015 SP - 144 ST - Investigation of the natural supplement IQP‑AS‑119 for the prevention of upper respiratory tract infections in marathon race participants: A randomized, double‑blind, placebo‑controlled pilot study T2 - Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine TI - Investigation of the natural supplement IQP‑AS‑119 for the prevention of upper respiratory tract infections in marathon race participants: A randomized, double‑blind, placebo‑controlled pilot study UR - https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2020.9575 VL - 21 ER -