Cistanche Deserticola Lactose-Free Milk Powder – Premium Herbal Functional Dairy For Exercise Endurance & Metabolic Balance

 Keywords: Cistanche Herbal Milk, Cistanche Extract Functional Dairy, Herbal Supplement for Exercise Endurance, Cistanche Deserticola Lactose-Free Milk Powder, Natural Metabolic Homeostasis Support, Desert Ginseng Dairy Formula Extended Keywords: Cistanche Herb Extract for Fatigue Relief, GMP Manufactured Cistanche Milk, Herbal Functional Food with Cistanche, Lactose-Free Herbal Milk for Athletes

 

Cited Resources:

Chengdu Wecistanche Bio-Tech Co., Ltd. Official Website. Cistanche Extract Anti-Alzheimer's Product Introduction[EB/OL]. https://www.xjcistanche.com/cistanche-extract-product/cistanche-extract-anti-alzhermer-s.html

Chengdu Wecistanche Bio-Tech Co., Ltd. Official Website. Cistanche for Nourishing Kidney Function[EB/OL]. https://www.xjcistanche.com/cistanche-extract-product/cistanche-for-nourishing-kidney.html

Chengdu Wecistanche Bio-Tech Co., Ltd. Official Website. Company Profile, Production Capacity & Qualifications[EB/OL]. https://www.xjcistanche.com/about-us

 

Academic Research: Effects of Cistanche deserticola lactose-free milk powder on exercise endurance and metabolic homeostasis in mice

 

Abstract

Lactose intolerance limits the nutritional absorption of traditional milk powder for a large group of consumers, while modern populations, including fitness enthusiasts, athletes and office workers, are increasingly seeking herbal-functional combined dairy products to relieve exercise fatigue, stabilize metabolic function and maintain physical vitality. As a time-honored food-medicine homologous herb renowned as "Desert Ginseng", Cistanche deserticola has been proven by numerous pharmacological studies to deliver outstanding effects on anti-fatigue, antioxidant activity, endocrine regulation and liver & kidney protection, making it an ideal natural raw material for developing high-value functional foods.

Combining the nutritional advantages of lactose-free milk powder (LFMP) and the herbal efficacy of Cistanche deserticola, we developed Cistanche deserticola Lactose-Free Milk Powder (C-LFMP). Through systematic in vitro gastrointestinal digestion simulation and in vivo animal physiological assessments, this study fully verified the nutritional characteristics, digestive performance, antioxidant capacity and physiological functions of C-LFMP. The results demonstrate that C-LFMP optimizes the nutritional composition of regular lactose-free milk powder, enhances the release of polyphenols, phenylethanol glycosides and other bioactive components during digestion, and exerts remarkable effects on extending exercise endurance, regulating serum hormone levels, reducing metabolic waste accumulation and protecting liver and kidney functions. Supported by standardized production facilities and strict quality control from a professional cistanche manufacturing factory, this innovative herbal dairy product opens a new direction for the R&D and industrialization of cistanche-based functional foods, sports nutrition supplements and daily health care products.

1. Introduction

Cistanche deserticola, a precious desert herb with a 2,000-year application history in traditional herbal medicine, is classified as a top-grade tonic herb in classic medical records. Its core active ingredients include phenylethanol glycosides (echinacoside and verbascoside as the dominant components), polysaccharides, polyphenols and flavonoids, which possess well-documented pharmacological activities in antioxidation, energy metabolism regulation, endocrine homeostasis maintenance, neuroprotection and renal protection.

 

 

 

Modern pharmacological experiments have confirmed that cistanche and its extracts can modulate testosterone secretion, stabilize the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, improve physical endurance under exercise or stress, and alleviate excessive physical consumption, providing solid modern physiological evidence for its traditional application in boosting vitality and relieving fatigue.

 

Cistanche High Content Extract For Functional Dairy

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Currently, most research on Cistanche deserticola focuses on the pharmacological evaluation of pure extracts or single active compounds. Studies exploring its stability, digestive release behavior and overall functional performance in food matrices remain insufficient. In the field of functional food development, milk powder is recognized as an excellent delivery carrier for plant-derived bioactive ingredients due to its balanced nutrition, stable physical and chemical properties and suitability for long-term daily intake. However, lactose contained in conventional milk powder often triggers gastrointestinal discomfort among lactose-intolerant crowds, hindering nutrient digestion and absorption as well as the continuous intake of functional components.

Lactose-free milk powder solves the lactose intolerance problem by enzymatic hydrolysis, converting lactose into glucose and galactose. It features superior digestibility and intestinal tolerance, and can effectively improve the bioaccessibility of added herbal active ingredients, making it a perfect matrix for functional nutritional intervention and long-term dietary supplementation. Intense physical exercise will cause energy metabolism disorders, aggravated oxidative stress and endocrine imbalance in the human body: decreased testosterone levels and abnormal cortisol secretion are closely linked to reduced physical tolerance and slow recovery; abnormal liver and kidney functions will further disrupt metabolic homeostasis. Therefore, developing cistanche-fortified lactose-free milk powder and systematically evaluating its comprehensive effects on exercise endurance, endocrine regulation and metabolic function under exercise load has important practical significance for the innovation of herbal functional dairy products.

Supported by the complete industrial chain and advanced production technology of Chengdu Wecistanche Bio-Tech Co., Ltd., a leading global cistanche processing enterprise, this research takes C-LFMP as the research object. We analyzed its basic nutritional components, evaluated its antioxidant activity via in vitro simulated gastrointestinal digestion models, and verified its regulatory effects on exercise endurance, serum hormones, metabolic indicators and liver-kidney functions through mouse experiments. This work aims to provide reliable experimental support and industrial reference for the large-scale development, promotion and application of cistanche-based herbal functional dairy products.

 

 

1.1 Advantages of the Cistanche Production Base & Factory

Chengdu Wecistanche Bio-Tech Co., Ltd., founded in 2003, is a modern high-tech enterprise integrating cistanche raw material cultivation, processing, extraction, R&D, production and sales, owning the world's most comprehensive cistanche industrial chain.

Large-Scale Planting & Raw Material Supply: The company operates 20,000 acres of high-quality cistanche seed breeding bases and over 85,000 acres of standardized cultivation bases, mainly located in Hotan, Xinjiang – the premium producing area of wild Cistanche deserticola. It has a fresh cistanche storage capacity of 15,000 tons, ensuring stable and high-quality raw material supply for functional food production throughout the year.

 

 

GMP Standard Production Workshops: Equipped with 100,000-class GMP production workshops, 10,000-class microbial incubation laboratories, as well as advanced ultrafiltration and nanofiltration purification & concentration equipment, the factory strictly follows food safety production specifications to guarantee product stability and hygiene.

Core Technology & Patents: The company holds 14 invention patents related to cistanche extraction (including membrane separation technology), which efficiently retain echinacoside, verbascoside and other core active ingredients. The total phenylethanol glycoside content of self-produced cistanche extract can reach up to 81.6%, far exceeding the industry average.

Global Authoritative Certifications: All products have obtained US NOP Organic Certification, OCIA International Organic Certification, HALAL, KOSHER, HACCP and China SC Food Production Certifications, complying with EU, US and international food standards. The products have been exported to Japan, South Korea, Southeast Asia, Europe and the United States for many years, with mature OEM/ODM service capabilities for global customers.

Professional R&D Team: The company has established long-term cooperative research relationships with Peking University School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Pharmacy and other well-known universities, continuously optimizing cistanche extraction technology and functional food formulas, laying a solid technical foundation for the development of Cistanche Herbal Milk and other innovative products.

 

2. Materials and Methods

2.1 Raw Materials & Reagents

Lactose-free milk powder was purchased from Inner Mongolia Yiyingmei Dairy Co., Ltd.; Cistanche deserticola powder was provided by Hualvyuan Biotechnology Co., Ltd. (raw material sourced from the standardized planting base of Chengdu Wecistanche Bio-Tech Co., Ltd., with tested echinacoside content ≥35.2% and verbascoside content ≥14.3%). Compound nutrients (maltodextrin), selenium-enriched yeast, Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis Bb-12, artificial gastric juice and artificial intestinal juice were all commercially available food-grade raw materials. Analytical reagents such as hydrochloric acid, sodium hydroxide, echinacoside standard and gallic acid standard were supplied by Sinopharm Chemical Reagent Co., Ltd. Five-week-old male KM mice were provided by Jiangxi Zhonghong Boyuan Biotechnology Co., Ltd. (Ethics Approval No.: 2025-11-Zvast-021). Commercial energy drink (Red Bull) was selected as the positive control sample. Test kits for testosterone, cortisol, creatinine, alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were all professional ELISA and biochemical detection kits.

 

Table 1. Basic composition of different lactose-free milk powders (per 100 g)

Nutritional component	LFMP	C‑LFMP
Protein (g)	24.0 ± 0.1ᵃ	23.5 ± 0.2ᵇ
Fat (g)	27.0 ± 0.2ᵃ	26.5 ± 0.2ᵇ
Carbohydrate (g)	35.0 ± 0.3ᵇ	36.0 ± 0.3ᵃ
Sodium (mg)	380.0 ± 1.4ᵇ	430.0 ± 0.6ᵃ
Calcium (mg)	900.0 ± 4.7ᵇ	1000.0 ± 1.7ᵃ

Note: LFMP = lactose‑free milk powder; C‑LFMP = Cistanche deserticola lactose‑free milk powder.
(ᵃ,ᵇ indicate statistically significant differences within the same row.)

 

2.2 Instruments and Equipment

SHA-2 constant temperature water bath shaker, Mettler Toledo SevenCompact pH meter, Shimadzu UV-2600 UV-Vis spectrophotometer, Thermo Scientific Multiskan SkyHigh microplate reader, dry blending equipment, and standard laboratory centrifuges.

 

 

2.3 Preparation of Cistanche Deserticola Lactose-Free Milk Powder (C-LFMP)

Accurately weigh raw materials according to the formula ratio: 977.49 kg of lactose-free milk powder, 10 kg of Cistanche deserticola powder, 12 kg of compound nutrients (maltodextrin), 0.4 kg of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis Bb-12 and 0.11 kg of selenium-enriched powder per 1000 kg of finished product. All components were fully mixed using dry blending equipment in the GMP workshop to produce uniform C-LFMP finished products. The finished product is brown powder with a unique herbal aroma, slightly bitter taste, no visible foreign impurities, and all heavy metal (lead, arsenic, mercury) and pesticide residue indicators meet national food safety standards.

 

2.4 Determination of Basic Nutritional Components

The contents of protein and fat were determined in accordance with national standard GB 5009.5-2025 and GB 5009.6-2025 respectively; carbohydrate content was tested referring to GB/Z 21922-2008; sodium and calcium contents were detected following GB 5009.91-2017 and GB 5009.92-2016.

2.5 In Vitro Simulated Gastrointestinal Digestion Model

Dissolve 5 g of LFMP and C-LFMP in 45 mL of deionized water to prepare milk solutions.

Gastric digestion stage: Add artificial gastric juice (pepsin 2000 U/mL), adjust pH to 3.0 with 1 mol/L hydrochloric acid, incubate at 37°C with shaking for 2 hours, and collect samples at intervals.

Intestinal digestion stage: After gastric digestion, adjust the system to contain trypsin (100 U/mL), lipase (2000 U/mL) and bile salts (10 mmol/L), regulate pH to 7.0 with 5 mol/L sodium hydroxide, and continue shaking digestion for 2 hours. All samples were centrifuged to collect supernatant for subsequent detection. Each group was repeated 3 times to ensure data repeatability.

2.5.1 Determination of Protein Hydrolysis Degree

The o-phthalaldehyde (OPA) method was adopted: take 10 μL of sample, add 200 μL of OPA reagent, react in the dark for 15 minutes, and measure the absorbance at 340 nm to calculate the protein hydrolysis degree.

2.5.2 Determination of Bioactive Components

Total polyphenols: Folin-Ciocalteu colorimetric method, quantified with gallic acid.

Total polysaccharides: Phenol-sulfuric acid method, quantified with glucose standard curve.

Total phenylethanol glycosides: Sodium nitrite-aluminum nitrate colorimetric method, quantified with echinacoside standard.

2.5.3 Antioxidant Activity Detection

DPPH radical scavenging assay and ABTS radical scavenging assay were used to evaluate the free radical scavenging ability of digestive solutions, reflecting the in vitro antioxidant capacity of the samples.

 

2.6 Animal Experiment Design

A total of 105 KM mice (5 weeks old, body weight 18–20 g) were randomly divided into 7 groups after one week of adaptive feeding: Normal Control group (NC), Fatigue Model group (MC), LFMP group (MF), Low-Dose C-LFMP group (L-CF), Medium-Dose C-LFMP group (M-CF), High-Dose C-LFMP group (H-CF) and Positive Control group (PC, Red Bull). Except for the NC group, all other groups received 15 minutes of daily swimming training for 4 consecutive weeks.

On the 28th day of the experiment, 5 mice from each group were selected for the weight-bearing swimming test: a lead block equivalent to 5% of the mouse's body weight was fixed on the tail, and the swimming time was recorded until the mouse was exhausted (head submerged underwater for more than 10 seconds). Orbital blood was collected to separate serum for detecting testosterone, cortisol and creatinine levels. Liver and kidney tissues were collected to test ALT, AST and BUN indicators. The body weight of mice was recorded daily to observe the effect of samples on growth.

2.7 Data Analysis

All experimental data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA using SPSS 22.0, and results were expressed as Mean ± Standard Deviation. GraphPad Prism 10.6 was used for plotting. P < 0.05 indicates a statistically significant difference.

 

3. Results and Analysis

3.1 Basic Nutritional Composition of C-LFMP vs. LFMP

Compared with pure lactose-free milk powder (LFMP), the addition of Cistanche deserticola powder significantly changed the nutritional structure of the product (P < 0.05): the protein and fat contents of C-LFMP decreased moderately, while carbohydrate, sodium and calcium contents increased markedly. This change is attributed to the rich polysaccharides, dietary fiber and mineral elements in natural cistanche. The increased calcium content in C-LFMP also helps maintain bone metabolic homeostasis of exercisers, forming a synergistic effect with the endurance-enhancing function of cistanche active ingredients. As a composite herbal-dairy formula, C-LFMP combines the balanced nutrition of milk powder and the herbal tonic effects of cistanche, forming a unique dual-nutrition system.

3.2 In Vitro Digestion Characteristics

3.2.1 Protein Hydrolysis Degree

During the gastric digestion stage, there was no significant difference in protein hydrolysis degree between LFMP and C-LFMP in the early stage. Starting from 90 minutes of gastric digestion, the hydrolysis degree of C-LFMP was significantly higher than that of LFMP (P < 0.05). After entering the intestinal digestion stage, the protein hydrolysis degree of both samples increased sharply, and C-LFMP maintained a higher hydrolysis level throughout the intestinal digestion process. The polyphenols and polysaccharides in Cistanche deserticola can adjust the spatial conformation of milk protein, expose peptide bonds more easily to digestive enzymes, and promote protein decomposition and absorption.

3.2.2 Release of Bioactive Components

Polyphenols: The polyphenol content of both samples increased with the digestion process, and C-LFMP was significantly higher than LFMP in all digestion stages (P < 0.05). Bound polyphenols are gradually dissociated into free active substances under the action of gastrointestinal acid-base environment and digestive enzymes.

Polysaccharides: The total polysaccharide content showed a slow downward trend during digestion, but C-LFMP always retained higher polysaccharide content. The milk powder matrix forms a complex with cistanche polysaccharides, slowing down the degradation rate of polysaccharides in the digestive tract.

Phenylethanol glycosides: As the characteristic active ingredients of Cistanche deserticola, phenylethanol glycosides were not detected in LFMP. In C-LFMP, their content rose significantly in the gastric stage, peaked in the early intestinal stage, and then decreased slightly. Gastric acid helps release bound phenylethanol glycosides, while intestinal enzymes cause partial degradation, which conforms to the release rule of plant secondary metabolites during digestion.

3.2.3 Antioxidant Capacity

The DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging abilities of both samples were enhanced with the progress of digestion, and the antioxidant activity in the intestinal stage was significantly stronger than that in the gastric stage. In all digestion stages, C-LFMP exhibited far better free radical scavenging capacity than LFMP (P < 0.05). The synergistic effect of cistanche polyphenols, phenylethanol glycosides and milk protein hydrolysates endows C-LFMP with excellent overall antioxidant performance, which can effectively resist oxidative stress caused by exercise.

3.3 Effects on Exercise Endurance and Physiological Indicators of Mice

3.3.1 Body Weight Change

After 4 weeks of intervention, there was no significant difference in body weight gain among all groups (P > 0.05), indicating that long-term intake of C-LFMP has no adverse effect on the normal growth and development of organisms, with high safety.

3.3.2 Weight-Bearing Swimming Time

Compared with the Fatigue Model group (MC), each dose group of C-LFMP significantly prolonged the weight-bearing swimming time of mice (P < 0.05), showing an obvious dose-dependent effect. The endurance improvement effect of the high-dose C-LFMP group was equivalent to that of the positive control energy drink group (PC). It fully proves that Cistanche Herbal Milk can effectively enhance exercise endurance and relieve physical fatigue.

3.3.3 Serum Hormones and Metabolic Indicators

Testosterone: C-LFMP significantly increased serum testosterone levels in mice in a dose-dependent manner. Higher testosterone helps synthesize skeletal muscle protein and accelerate physical recovery after exercise.

Cortisol: Each dose of C-LFMP reduced serum cortisol content, alleviating exercise-induced stress response and fatigue symptoms.

Creatinine: Creatinine content decreased with the increase of C-LFMP dose, indicating that cistanche ingredients reduce skeletal muscle damage and the accumulation of metabolic waste.

3.3.4 Liver and Kidney Function Indicators

C-LFMP significantly reduced the activities of liver ALT and AST, and decreased renal BUN content (P < 0.05), presenting a dose-dependent protective effect. The antioxidant components of Cistanche deserticola protect liver cell integrity and improve renal nitrogen metabolism function, maintaining the stability of liver and kidney under exercise load.

4. Discussion

The addition of Cistanche deserticola reconstitutes the nutritional system of lactose-free milk powder and endows the dairy product with unique herbal functional characteristics. The milk powder matrix provides a stable microenvironment for cistanche active ingredients, reducing the degradation of polyphenols and phenylethanol glycosides during processing and storage. Meanwhile, probiotics added to the formula may regulate the gut microbiota-endocrine axis and jointly participate in anti-fatigue and metabolic regulation, which is worthy of further in-depth research.

In vitro digestion experiments verified that C-LFMP optimizes the digestibility of milk protein and promotes the sustained release of cistanche bioactive components. The combined system of cistanche and lactose-free milk powder produces a synergistic antioxidant effect, laying a foundation for resisting exercise-induced oxidative damage. In vivo animal experiments further reveal the multi-target regulatory mechanism of C-LFMP: it regulates endocrine balance by increasing testosterone and decreasing cortisol, reduces metabolic waste accumulation by lowering creatinine and BUN, and protects visceral organs by improving liver and kidney enzyme activities, ultimately achieving the effect of enhancing exercise endurance and stabilizing metabolic homeostasis.

As a professional cistanche deep-processing manufacturer, Chengdu Wecistanche Bio-Tech Co., Ltd. relies on its complete industrial chain, patented extraction technology and strict quality control system to ensure the consistency, safety and high activity of raw material cistanche powder, providing strong production support for the commercialization of C-LFMP. This product perfectly fits the market demand for lactose-free, natural herbal, sports-nutrition and daily health functional foods, and can be applied in multiple scenarios such as athlete nutritional supplements, fitness crowd daily rations, sub-health crowd fatigue relief and family daily health care.

This study focuses on the overall effect of the composite food system. Subsequent research can set single-component control groups to further distinguish the independent efficacy of cistanche extract and milk powder matrix, and combine pharmacokinetics and metabolomics to clarify the in vivo action pathway of active ingredients.

 

5. Conclusion

Cistanche deserticola Lactose-Free Milk Powder (C-LFMP), an innovative Cistanche Herbal Functional Dairy, combines the nutritional advantages of lactose-free milk powder and the herbal efficacy of Cistanche deserticola (Desert Ginseng). Supported by the standardized production, advanced technology and global certification of a professional cistanche factory, this product has stable quality and reliable safety.

Experimental results confirm that C-LFMP optimizes the nutritional composition of traditional lactose-free milk powder, improves protein digestibility, and promotes the continuous release of cistanche polyphenols, phenylethanol glycosides and other active ingredients during digestion, with superior antioxidant capacity. Animal experiments prove that C-LFMP can significantly prolong exercise endurance in a dose-dependent manner, regulate serum hormone levels, reduce metabolic waste, and protect liver and kidney functions, effectively maintaining metabolic homeostasis under exercise load.

As a new type of herbal functional food, Cistanche deserticola Lactose-Free Milk Powder breaks the single form of traditional dairy products and cistanche health products. It caters to the consumption trends of natural health, herbal nourishment and targeted nutritional supplementation, and has broad market prospects in the fields of sports nutrition, daily health care and special crowd dietary supplements. This research also provides a feasible development idea and experimental basis for the deep processing and product innovation of Cistanche deserticola and other food-medicine homologous herbs.

 

Reference List

[1] Chengdu Wecistanche Bio-Tech Co., Ltd. Cistanche Extract Anti-Alzheimer's[EB/OL]. https://www.xjcistanche.com/cistanche-extract-product/cistanche-extract-anti-alzhermer-s.html, 2022. [2] Chengdu Wecistanche Bio-Tech Co., Ltd. Cistanche for Nourishing Kidney Function[EB/OL]. https://www.xjcistanche.com/cistanche-extract-product/cistanche-for-nourishing-kidney.html, 2022. [3] Chengdu Wecistanche Bio-Tech Co., Ltd. Company Profile & Production Qualifications[EB/OL]. https://www.xjcistanche.com/about-us, 2022. [4] Anonymous. Effects of Cistanche deserticola lactose-free milk powder on exercise endurance and metabolic homeostasis in mice[J]. Unpublished Academic Research Report, 2025. [5] Liu X, Yang Z, Han M, et al. Bioactive components, pharmacological properties, and applications of Cistanche deserticola YC Ma: A comprehensive review[J]. Nutrients, 2025, 17(9): 1501.