Limited evidencePhysical performance

Octacosanol

A long-chain alcohol from wheat germ and sugar cane wax, sold for stamina and endurance since the 1970s. Almost all supportive data is in rodents; the few human studies are very small and measured blood markers rather than performance.

Evidence last reviewed: August 2026

What the science says

Endurance and fatigue Limited evidence
Rodent studies report longer running time to exhaustion and better post-exercise biochemistry with octacosanol supplementation. No adequately powered human trial has shown improved endurance performance.
Blood lipids and oxidative stress in athletes Limited evidence
A randomized study in 26 male taekwondo athletes undergoing rapid weight loss gave 40 mg/day of octacosanol for six days and reported improved lipid profile and lower oxidative stress markers versus control. This is a single very small, very short study of blood markers, not of competitive performance.
Mechanism Limited evidence
A review of lipolysis-stimulating supplements for endurance capacity places octacosanol among compounds with a plausible fat-oxidation rationale and thin clinical support.

Dosage & safety

Studied doseTypical label doses are 10–20 mg/day; the one small athlete study used 40 mg/day. No effective dose for performance has been established.

SafetyGenerally well tolerated at supplement doses, with occasional gastrointestinal upset or headache reported. Wheat-germ-derived products may not be suitable for people avoiding wheat, though octacosanol itself is a wax alcohol rather than a protein. Little data in pregnancy or breastfeeding, so avoid. Policosanol, the related sugar-cane wax mixture, has interacted with anticoagulants in some reports — mention it to your doctor if you take blood thinners.

Scientific references

Improvement of Lipids and Reduction of Oxidative Stress With Octacosanol After Taekwondo Training
Lee SH, Scott SD, Pekas EJ, Lee JG, Park SY — Int J Sports Physiol Perform, 2019
Octacosanol supplementation increases running endurance time and improves biochemical parameters after exhaustion in trained rats
Kim H, Park S, Han DS, Park T — J Med Food, 2003
Nutrition Supplements to Stimulate Lipolysis: A Review in Relation to Endurance Exercise Capacity
Kim J, Park J, Lim K — J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo), 2016

Where to buy

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Related in Physical performance

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Beta-Alanine Moderate evidence
BCAA (Branched-Chain Amino Acids) Limited evidence
EAA (Essential Amino Acids) Moderate evidence