Monitoring the Oxygenation of Blood During Exercise After Ingesting Wheatgrass Juice

Abstract

Although wheatgrass juice is believed to act as an ergogenic aid, little research has been done to prove its credibility. The purpose of this study was to explore one possible mechanism by which wheatgrass juice improves the human body—blood oxygenation. The ability of wheatgrass juice to increase blood oxygen saturation in the human body during exercise was observed via pulse oximetry. Participants ran on a treadmill for 20 minutes at 75-85% intensity, calculated by each participant's heart rate reserve, on two separate occasions. One session acted as a control and the other involved the ingestion of 2 ounces of wheatgrass juice 20 minutes prior to exercise. As a result of wheatgrass juice ingestion prior to exercise, participants’ blood oxygen saturation was an average of 0.31% higher during exercise than if no wheatgrass juice had been ingested. During an 8 min post-exercise recovery, participants’ blood oxygen saturation was an average of 0.23% higher after wheatgrass juice ingestion than that of a non-wheatgrass recovery. It can be concluded that a mechanism exists in the body that increases blood oxygenation level (SpO2) due to wheatgrass juice consumption.