NOW: Wheat Germ Oil

Wheat germ oil is a nutritional oil derived from expeller-pressed wheat germ. It is an excellent source of Octacosanol, an alcohol fatty acid naturally occurring in wheat germ. It is also a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E. Octacosanol has been investigated long ago as an ergogenic (exercise performance??"promoting) agent. These preliminary studies found that octacosanol had promising effects on endurance, reaction time, and other measures of exercise capacity. In another trial, 1,000 mcg per day of octacosanol for eight weeks was found to improve grip strength and visual reaction time, but it had no effect on chest strength, auditory reaction time, or endurance.

References:
1. Cureton TK. The physiological effects of wheat germ oil on humans. In Exercise. Illinois: Charles C Thomas, 1972, 296??"300.
2. Saint-John M, McNaughton L. Octacosanol ingestion and its effects on metabolic responses to submaximal cycle ergometry, reaction time and chest and grip strength. Int Clin Nutr Rev 1986;6(2):81??"7.