The Effect of Aspalathus Linearis on Muscle Soreness and Post-exercise Recovery in Young, Physically Inactive Women
NCT Number: NCT06561750
Status: COMPLETED
Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
Phases: NA
Conditions: Inflammation|Muscle Recovery|Muscle Soreness
Interventions: OTHER: Rooibos tea|OTHER: Control
Sponsor: Hasselt University
Sex: FEMALE
Age: ADULT
Enrollment: 12
Study Design: Allocation: RANDOMIZED|Intervention Model: PARALLEL|Masking: DOUBLE (PARTICIPANT, INVESTIGATOR)|Primary Purpose: TREATMENT
Start Date: 2023-11-01
Completion Date: 2024-01-30
Locations: Biomedical Research Institute, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Limburg, 3500, Belgium

Summary:
Exercise has been found to exert beneficial effect on overall health. However, it also induces muscle damage at the same time. This then leads to muscle pain, temporary inflammation and reduced muscle function. These symptoms can persist for up to 72 hours after physical exertion and thus have a negative impact on a speedy recovery. Research has previously shown that antioxidants play an important role in muscle recovery after physical exertion. For example, antioxidants are known to have a positive effect on muscle damage and muscle soreness, and they also provide an anti-inflammatory effect. An important group of antioxidants are the flavonoids, which are abundantly present in rooibos (aspalathus linearis) tea. Previous research has shown that rooibos tea has a performance-enhancing effect during physical exertion. Despite these positive findings during physical exertion, the effect of rooibos tea on muscle recovery is not yet well known. Moreover, the effects of antioxidants during and after physical exertion have almost only been studied in men. Therefore, the current study will investigate the effects of rooibos tea on inflammation, muscle damage and muscle pain in a female population, and whether the muscle recovery capacity can ultimately be accelerated.

Primary Outcome Measures: Change in Serum creatine kinase from Baseline to 72 hours, Blood samples will be collected at baseline and 72 hours, Baseline and 72 hours|Change in perceived muscle soreness from Baseline to 72 hours, A 10 point analogue scale will be used to assess the muscle soreness. The ratings on the scale are 0 = "no soreness or pain", 2 = "mild annoying pain", 4 = "Nagging, uncomfortable troublesome pain", 6 = "Distressing, miserable pain", 8 = "Intense, dreadful pain", and 10 = "the worst possible, unbearable, excruciating pain", Baseline and 72 hours|Change in perceived muscle recovery from Baseline to 72 hours, The perceived exercise recovery will be assessed using the Perceived recovery status (PRS) scale. The PRS scale rates recovery from exercise from 1 to 10 with 1-3 representing poor recovery and anticipating poor performance, 4-6 consisting of moderate recovery and expecting normal performance, and 7-10 representing high recovery and expecting increased performance, Baseline and 72 hours|Change in Tumor Necrosis Factor -alpha (TNF-α) from Baseline to 72 hours, Blood samples will be collected at Baseline and 72 hours, Baseline and 72 hours|Change in interleukin-6 (IL-6) from Baseline to 72 hours, Blood samples will be collected at Baseline and 72 hours, Baseline and 72 Hours
Secondary Outcome Measures: Change in swelling at the quadriceps muscle from Baseline to 72 hours, Quadriceps muscle swelling will be assessed using the thigh circumference measurement. The thigh circumference measurement will be done using the tape measure and performed to the nearest tenth of a centimeter. Two measurements within two millimeters of each other will be completed and averaged at each time point, Baseline and 72 hours|Change in quadriceps contractile muscle functioning from Baseline to 72 hours, Quadriceps contractile muscle functioning will be assessed using vertical jump test. Squat jumps will be executed with both hands clasped together firmly behind the back to minimize arm assistance for uniformity after warming up with 12 squat jumps of rising height. The participants will be told to keep their trunks as erect as they could, Baseline and 72 hours