Effects of Pomegranate Juice Supplementation on Oxidative Stress Biomarkers Following Weightlifting Exercise

Nutrients. 2017 Jul 29;9(8):819. doi: 10.3390/nu9080819.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that pomegranate juice supplementation would blunt acute and delayed oxidative stress responses after a weightlifting training session. Nine elite weightlifters (21.0 ± 1 years) performed two Olympic-Weightlifting sessions after ingesting either the placebo or pomegranate juice supplements. Venous blood samples were collected at rest and 3 min and 48 h after each session. Compared to the placebo condition, pomegranate juice supplementation attenuated the increase in malondialdehyde (-12.5%; p < 0.01) and enhanced the enzymatic (+8.6% for catalase and +6.8% for glutathione peroxidase; p < 0.05) and non-enzymatic (+12.6% for uric acid and +5.7% for total bilirubin; p < 0.01) antioxidant responses shortly (3 min) after completion of the training session. Additionally, during the 48 h recovery period, pomegranate juice supplementation accelerated (p < 0.05) the recovery kinetics of the malondialdehyde (5.6%) and the enzymatic antioxidant defenses compared to the placebo condition (9 to 10%). In conclusion, supplementation with pomegranate juice has the potential to attenuate oxidative stress by enhancing antioxidant responses assessed acutely and up to 48 h following an intensive weightlifting training session. Therefore, elite weightlifters might benefit from blunted oxidative stress responses following intensive weightlifting sessions, which could have implications for recovery between training sessions.

Keywords: antioxidant; lipid peroxidation; polyphenol; power training.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial

MeSH terms

  • Bilirubin / blood
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Catalase / blood
  • Catalase / metabolism
  • Cross-Over Studies
  • Exercise*
  • Fruit and Vegetable Juices*
  • Glutathione Peroxidase / blood
  • Glutathione Peroxidase / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Lythraceae*
  • Male
  • Malondialdehyde / blood
  • Malondialdehyde / metabolism
  • Muscle, Skeletal / metabolism
  • Oxidative Stress / physiology*
  • Rest
  • Sports Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
  • Weight Lifting
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Malondialdehyde
  • Catalase
  • Glutathione Peroxidase
  • Bilirubin