Although these findings are promising, most of the available evidence remains based on preclinical studies, particularly animal experiments, and should therefore be interpreted with caution. Further well-designed human studies are needed to confirm whether the effects observed in experimental models can be consistently reproduced in humans and to better understand the potential role of hemp seed peptides in supporting exercise endurance and reducing exercise-related fatigue. Future research should also clarify their mechanisms of action, effective dosage, long-term safety, and reproducibility across different populations and exercise conditions. Nevertheless, the current findings provide an interesting scientific basis for further investigation of hemp seed proteins and their derived peptides as potential natural ingredients for sports nutrition and exercise-related applications.
When discussing exercise endurance, the conversation often centers on familiar ingredients such as caffeine, creatine, and other sports nutrition supplements. Caffeine works primarily through the central nervous system to help delay fatigue, while creatine mainly supports energy production during high-intensity exercise. But endurance involves far more than simply having enough strength.
During sustained physical activity, the body must continuously coordinate energy supply, oxygen utilization, and the growing burden of oxidative stress. How these processes can be optimized and how fatigue can be delayed have therefore become important areas of research in sports nutrition. This has prompted researchers to look beyond conventional sports supplements and explore a broader range of natural food-derived ingredients.
Recently, research on a medicinal and edible plant has offered a new perspective: hemp seed. This familiar food source contains proteins and protein-derived peptides that have been found to potentially support longer-lasting exercise performance by enhancing antioxidant defenses and improving oxygen utilization. What appears to be an ordinary plant protein may therefore be opening another avenue for research into exercise endurance.
Edestin: A Major Protein in Hemp Seeds
Hidden within the seemingly ordinary hemp seed is a protein of growing scientific interest—edestin. Edestin is a plant storage protein belonging to the globulin family and is one of the major protein components of hemp seeds.
The term “storage protein” refers to nutrients that plants accumulate in their seeds in advance, primarily to support seed germination and early seedling growth. From the perspective of plant physiology, the main role of edestin is therefore to “store nutrients.” From the perspectives of food science and nutritional research, however, its potential value may extend beyond this basic function.
In recent years, researchers have begun to pay closer attention to the amino acid composition of edestin and to the small peptides generated when the protein undergoes enzymatic hydrolysis. Some studies have found that hemp seed protein or its hydrolysates exhibit antioxidant activity, including the ability to scavenge free radicals or enhance indicators associated with antioxidant defense.
Other studies have suggested that peptides derived from plant proteins may participate in energy metabolism and influence the utilization of oxygen and energy substrates by cells. In 2026, a new study directly linked this protein with a more specific physiological scenario—exercise endurance.
Research on Hemp Seed Peptides and Exercise Endurance
1) Improving Exercise Endurance
Wiley
A study published in the Journal of Food Science first compared intact edestin protein with edestin-derived peptides (EPP) obtained through enzymatic hydrolysis. The researchers found that enzymatic hydrolysis did not simply make the protein “smaller”; it also altered its structure, transforming the original relatively ordered structure into a more loosely arranged conformation. At the same time, both edestin and EPP demonstrated relatively strong antioxidant activity in vitro.
The researchers then advanced the experiment to mice. The results showed that supplementation with edestin increased swimming endurance by approximately 69% compared with the control group, while EPP obtained through enzymatic hydrolysis produced a more pronounced effect, increasing exercise endurance by approximately 102%.
Meanwhile, oxygen consumption per unit of body weight was positively correlated with swimming endurance. Antioxidant defense indicators, including SOD and GSH-Px, were also enhanced in the heart and brain tissues of the mice. Indicators including red blood cell count, hemoglobin, and hematocrit also changed.
Based on these findings, the researchers suggested that edestin and its derived peptides may do more than simply provide amino acids. They may potentially help the body maintain exercise performance for longer periods by enhancing antioxidant defense and improving oxygen utilization.
2) Improving Exercise Performance Under Hypobaric Hypoxia
ScienceDirect
Another study published in Food Research International in the same year took the research one step further by examining exercise performance under hypoxic conditions.
The researchers likewise used hemp seed edestin as the starting material and prepared edestin-derived peptides (EPP) through enzymatic hydrolysis. They then conducted a multi-level evaluation covering composition, structure, in vitro activity, animal experiments, and human trials.
The study found that EPP contained relatively high levels of glutamic acid, arginine, and aspartic acid. Following enzymatic hydrolysis, particle size decreased and the protein structure underwent significant changes. At the same time, EPP demonstrated relatively strong free-radical scavenging activity in vitro, with no obvious cytotoxicity observed.
The researchers subsequently placed mice in a hypoxic environment simulating an altitude of 4,000 meters and conducted exercise tests. The results showed that EPP supplementation increased the mice’s rotarod exercise endurance by approximately fourfold. Blood-related indicators associated with oxygen transport also improved.
These findings extended the research on the relationship between hemp seed peptides and exercise endurance from ordinary exercise conditions to a more specialized environment in which oxygen utilization is particularly challenging.
More importantly, the study also included a human trial. At an altitude of approximately 3,600 meters, EPP supplementation increased participants’ maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂max) by 14.98%. During exercise, fluctuations in blood oxygen saturation and heart rate were reduced, while hypoxia tolerance increased by 41.22%. The study also reported an approximately 1.625-fold increase in the anti-fatigue capacity indicator.
Research on the Anti-Fatigue Potential of Hemp Seed Peptides
The connection between hemp seed and exercise endurance was not first identified in 2026.
As early as 2023, researchers had begun investigating bioactive peptides from hemp seed protein for their potential anti-fatigue effects. A study published in Food Research International used hemp seed protein as the starting material and employed enzymatic hydrolysis, ultrafiltration, gel filtration, and other processes to further enrich a High Fischer Ratio Hemp Peptide (HFHP).
The term “Fischer ratio” primarily reflects the ratio between branched-chain amino acids and aromatic amino acids. High Fischer ratio peptides have traditionally attracted attention in the fields of sports nutrition and fatigue research.
The researchers subsequently evaluated these hemp seed peptides through both in vitro and animal experiments. In vitro experiments showed that HFHP exhibited a certain degree of free-radical scavenging ability and antioxidant activity.
In animal experiments, mice were subjected to exercise after HFHP supplementation. The supplementation improved several biochemical indicators associated with fatigue, including reducing blood lactate and serum urea nitrogen levels, while increasing liver glycogen stores and antioxidant defense indicators such as SOD and GSH-Px.
More importantly, in a weight-loaded swimming test, HFHP was able to extend the amount of time that mice could continue exercising.
Taken together, these studies suggest that hemp seed proteins and their derived peptides may represent an interesting area for further research in sports nutrition. Their potential effects appear to involve several aspects, including antioxidant defense, oxygen utilization, energy metabolism, and exercise-related fatigue.
However, it is important to interpret these findings cautiously. Although the reported results are encouraging, the evidence comes from different experimental models and study designs, and the mechanisms underlying these effects have not yet been fully established. Further research, particularly well-designed human clinical studies, will be necessary to determine the reproducibility, appropriate intake levels, safety, and practical applications of hemp seed peptides in exercise nutrition.
References
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Rui Zhang, Liang-Liang Chen, Huan Liang, et al. Edestin and Its Derived Peptides Improve Oxygen Utilization and Exercise Endurance by Enhancing Antioxidant Capacity in Mice. Journal of Food Science. 2026, 91(1): e70819.
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Rui Zhang, Jie Liu, Liang-Liang Chen, et al. Bioactive edestin peptides from hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) seeds improve exercise performance under hypobaric hypoxia. Food Research International. 2026, 231: 118630.
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Zhu Ying, Huang Yuyang, Li Meiying, et al. High Fischer ratio peptide of hemp seed: Preparation and anti-fatigue evaluation in vivo and in vitro. Food Research International. 2023, 165: 112534.