The efficacy of a flavonoid anti-oxidant supplement on reduction of delayed onset muscle soreness

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate whether flavonoid supplementation pre and post exercise, influences recovery from unaccustomed eccentric exercise. Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), is believed to be a result of pro-oxidant, free radical activity in the muscle membrane, and flavonoids have been shown to have high anti-oxidant capacity in vitro. 14 subjects, 7 male and 7 female, aged between 20 and 45, were allocated to either a flavonoid anti-oxidant group (AO, n =7), or a control group taking a placebo (P, n = 7). The design was double-blind. Subjects performed 30 minutes of stepping on a knee-high step at 15 steps x min(-l). Supplementation with lOOOmg of flavonoids or the placebo, commenced 1 hour prior to the stepping exercise, and was repeated 24 and 48 hours later. Perceived soreness, serum creatine kinase activity (CK), and peak torque values of knee flexors and extensors were measured at baseline, Ihour, 24 hours and 48 hours post exercise. A mixed Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was applied to analyse the data. A significance level of (p < 0.05) was adopted as the level of difference required between means to reject the null hypothesis. Muscle soreness, CK level and recovery of muscle function, were not significantly different between the AO group and the P group at any time point. These results suggest that consumption of a flavonoid supplement alone, is not effective hi combating pro-oxidant activity sufficiently to reduce DOMS. Future investigations may consider use of the lipid soluble anti-oxidant, vitamin E, in combination with the water soluble flavonoids.