A review of the scientific literature led by the UOC revealed that the consumption of moderate doses of curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, can support muscle recovery and help reduce pain after intense physical activity.
The Turmeric factory, which is part of the ginger family, has been evaluated for thousands of years both like a spice and a natural food dyeing. Its stem produces a yellow or reddish substance, depending on the
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Beyond its culinary uses, turmeric and its active compound, curcumin, have long been an integral part of traditional Asian medicine. In recent decades, in -depth research has been carried out to explore the properties of curcumin, its effects on the body and the potential benefits of the consumption of turmeric consumption.
Now, researchers from the Epi4health group of Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) have found that turmeric and its related products, such as curcumin, can reduce muscle damage and inflammation in the musculoskeletal system after an exercise vigorous physical.
“Consumption of pre and post-exercise curcumin is associated with better results in terms of muscle recovery, pain reduction and improved antioxidant capacity,” said Daniel Vasile Popescu-Radu. He is a pharmacist and nutritionist who studies simultaneously for a doctorate in health and psychology and a mastery of food for exercise and sport at UOC. He is the main author of the article, developed under the supervision of his tutor Patricia Martínez, dietitian and nutritionist and course instructor at the Faculty of Health Sciences of the UOC, and alongside the Laura Esquius experts Zarza, member of the staff of the Faculty of Health Sciences and Director of University Masters in Food for Physical and Sport, and Marta Massip, member of the same faculty.
Hundreds of scientific studies have demonstrated the advantages and potential of curcumin, in particular with regard to its properties. In fact, this supplement is well known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. However, the new contribution of experts is the confirmation of these results in the field of sports thanks to a review of scientific literature, which has recently been published in free access in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.
“The aim of this study was to assess scientific evidence concerning the effectiveness of curcumin in the attenuation of muscle damage induced by exercise, such as injuries to muscle fibers, pain and reduction of strength, And to establish its ability to reduce inflammatory markers, improve pain perception and speed up muscle recovery when consumed by trained participants, “said Popescu-Radu. “The effective use of curcumin depends on factors such as dosage, bioavailability and consumption time.”
Advantages of curcumin
According to the authors, the possible advantages of curcumin include attenuation and the fight against various problems, such as local muscle inflammation and systemic inflammation, as well as oxidative damage resulting from the increase in the production of free radicals During physical exercise and muscle pain, thus improving the individual subjective perception of pain and the range of affected muscle group movements.
“The moderate curcumin intake in the established post-exercise dosage range helps improve and accelerate muscles recovery,” said Popescu-Radu, who also explained that “there is always room for a Professional supervision, because an expert can adjust the dose and the time of contribution to optimize his advantages. »»
More specifically, experts believe that a daily contribution in curcumin of 1 to 4 grams is sufficient for healthy people to benefit from these advantages, in particular with regard to eccentric exercise, which tends to be the most harmful to athletes. “The effective use of curcumin depends on factors such as dosage, bioavailability and consumption time, the most significant advantages apparently resulting from post-exercise consumption,” said Martínez.
Absorption and patient profile
However, despite these proven advantages, experts have stressed that the factors that must be taken into account include the hormonal effects and individual characteristics of patients or consumers, as well as the time of the exact contribution and formulation used.
“The absorption and bioavailability of curcumin can be affected by the formulation used or the presence of other substances, such as piperine. In addition, the varied composition of studies in studies makes it very difficult to extrapolate these results from female athletes or to specific circumstances, such as perimenopause and menopause, “said Popescu-Radu.
Experts have warned that, although all these studies show that the potential of turmeric as a supplement for athletes, additional research, with larger samples, are necessary to confirm and consolidate these results.
“Curcumin could considerably improve the well-being of those who engage in regular physical training. It can even play an important role in reducing the biomarkers of inflammation and improving antioxidant capacity, among other health benefits, “they concluded, while warning that more in-depth research on the formulation, Absorption, bioavailability and other factors remain necessary to correctly assess the effects described.
Reference: “Evaluation of the contribution of curcumin in the reduction of muscle damage induced by the exercise in athletes: a systematic review” by Popescu-Radu Daniel Vasile, Martinez-lópez Patricia, Massip-Salcedo Marta and Esquius Laura, 2 December 2024, Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.
DOI: 10.1080 / 15502783.2024.2434217
This UOC research contributes to the UN sustainable development objective (ODD) 3, good health and well-being.
