Pomegranate Improve Biological Recovery Kinetics in Elite Weightlifter
Condition: Healthy
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      From the recent scientific literature in the field of biological response to physical
      exercise, a significant increase in muscle damage, soreness and inflammation were registered
      immediately and even 48 after resistance exercise. In the other hand, from the recent
      scientific literature in the field of nutrition it is well established that Pomegranate juice
      is a potent antioxidant that can help prevent or treat various disease risk factors. However,
      only few studies associated the effect of the pomegranate with the physical exercise. To the
      authors' knowledge, there are no studies investigated the acute and delayed effect of
      pomegranate supplementation in performance and muscle recovery after exercises involved
      muscle of whole body. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effect
      of natural Pomegranate juice supplementation on the acute and delayed response of muscle
      soreness and biochemical parameters following weightlifting training session
    

Detailed description: 
      Participants (i.e., 9 elite weightlifters) performed-as part of their habitual training
      program from 08h:00 to 09h:45- two training sessions using respectively, PLA and POMj
      supplementations (500ml), with a recovery period of 48 h in between. Upon arrival for their
      first test session, each participant's body mass and height were recorded. Moreover, before
      and after each tested training session, oral temperature was recorded with a calibrated
      digital clinical thermometer (Omron, Paris, France; accuracy: 0.05°C) inserted sublingually
      for at least 3 min with the subjects in a seated resting position for at least 15 min. Also,
      before and after each training session, fasting blood samples (blood sample 2, 3, 4 and 5,
      Figure1) were collected and heart rate (HR) and systolic arterial pressure (SAP) were
      recorded using a heart rate monitor and a manual sphygmomanometer. Additionally, to assess
      the recovery kinetic of the biological parameters, blood sample, temperature, HR and SAP were
      collected at resting state (i.e., after 10 days of recovery, blood sample 6) and immediately
      (3min) after the training session which proceed the PLA session (blood sample 1). Given that
      values of markers of muscle damage remain raised for at least 7 days following intensive
      weightlifting exercises, a recovery period of 10 days was chosen to evaluate the biological
      resting state. Additionally, given that (i) using randomized order in this study will results
      in consuming POMj then PLA supplementations (after 48h) for some participant and (ii) the
      delayed effect of POMj (which we expect) could alter the results of PLA supplementation, in
      the present study investigators choose to avoid randomized order and to evaluate the PLA at
      first then the POMj effect using all the participant together. Supplements (1500ml) of
      placebo (PLA) or pomegrenate juice (POMj) were taken three times daily in the 48h which
      proceed the first and the second tested training sessions respectively (i.e. 250ml × 6 times
      with 8-h intervals between it). Moreover, during these tested sessions, subject consumed an
      additional 500ml of PLA and 500ml of POMj, respectively. The tested quantity of the natural
      POMj were prepared from a fresh pomegranate fruit 48h before the beginning of the
      experimentation and were shipped frozen and stored at -4°C. No additional chemical products
      were added to the natural POMj. Each 500-mL of the tested POMj contained 2.56g of total
      polyphenol, 1.08g of ortho-diphenols, 292.59mg of flavonoids and 46.75mg of flavonols.
      Subjects were reminded verbally through phone communication to consume at the required times
      their supplements. Placebo juice consisted of an Pomegranate-flavored commercial drink
      contained water, citric acid, natural flavor and natural identical flavor (Pomegranate),
      sweeteners (aspartame × (0.3g/l), acesulfame K (0.16g/l)), stabilizers (Arabic gum) and
      lacked antioxidants, fruit and vegetable extracts or vitamins. Placebo juice contains no
      polyphenols.
    

Intervention name(s): Natural Pomegranate Juice; Placebo Juice
Intervention type(s): Dietary Supplement; Dietary Supplement
Intervention description(s): Supplements (1500ml) of pomegrenate juice (POMj) were taken three times daily in the 48h which proceed the first tested training sessions (i.e. 250ml × 6 times with 8-h intervals between it). Moreover, during this tested sessions, subject consumed an additional 500ml of POMj. Arm-specific: Experimental: 9 elite weightlifter; Supplements (1500ml) of Placebo juice (PLA) were taken three times daily in the 48h which proceed the second tested training sessions (i.e. 250ml × 6 times with 8-h intervals between it). Moreover, during this tested sessions, subject consumed an additional 500ml of POMj. Arm-specific: Placebo Comparator: 9 elite weightlifter
Allocation: Non-Randomized
Intervention model: Crossover Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Supportive Care
Keywords: Creatine kinase supplementation; C-reactive protein; resistance training; Pomegranate supplementation; pomegranate juice; muscle damage response