Pomegranate Improve Biological Recovery Kinetics in Elite Weightlifter

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

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.

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

* trained at least five sessions per week with 90 to 120 min per session
* had an experience of more than 3 years in Olympic weightlifting

Exclusion Criteria:

* use any antioxidant (e.g., vitamin E, A, C etc..) or anti-inflammatory during the experimentation period and one month before
* had injuries during the experimentation period and one month before