Post-workout recovery: Sore muscles after intense exercise or strength training? Here’s how to soothe the ache
Muscle soreness following vigorous physical activity is a common experience among individuals who engage in regular exercise and is often the result of engaging in an unusually strenuous activity that the body is unaccustomed to. The body adapts to routine exercise patterns, and when there is a change in the workout regimen or an increase in its intensity, one may experience muscle soreness the following day.
Athletes playing physically demanding sports such as football, soccer, hockey, boxing, and wrestling are also prone to muscle injuries and inflammation. It’s critical for them to recover swiftly to maintain peak performance and prevent injuries.
A study conducted by researchers at Nottingham Trent University investigated the potential benefits of turmeric, a spice commonly used in Asian cuisine, in facilitating muscle recovery. They discovered that consuming a beverage containing 60 ml of turmeric twice daily enabled athletes to regain their pre-competition fitness levels more rapidly compared to those who did not consume turmeric.
Curcumin, the principal ingredient in turmeric, is known for its anti-inflammatory properties. Previous research has indicated that curcumin supplements can help alleviate soreness following muscle-straining activities.
One of the possible mechanisms for this is the reduction of pro-inflammatory proteins, or cytokines, in the bloodstream, which typically rise in response to stress, such as intensive exercise.
This study is pioneering in showing that a supplement containing curcumin can diminish both the concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the blood and the muscle soreness experienced by elite professional soccer players.
Athletes were divided into two groups: one group consumed the turmeric shot, while the other did not. Parameters such as leg and whole-body soreness, along with inflammatory markers in the blood, were evaluated at different intervals up to three days after the match.
The results indicated that those in the turmeric group were able to reach their normal levels of subjective soreness and inflammation markers in the blood faster than the group that didn’t consume turmeric.
The results of the study “suggest that the turmeric supplement accelerated players’ recovery after matches, allowing them to return to their optimum fitness level more quickly,” adds lead researcher Dr. Dave Clayton.
“Elite footballers have a physically demanding schedule, often playing up to three matches in a 7-day period,” explains the author.
“This causes a large degree of inflammation and pain after games. If this is not alleviated, previous research has shown this can result in poorer performance in their next match.
Dr. Ian Varley, a research fellow involved in the study, shared his insights, stating, their “study suggests that a turmeric supplement, consumed as an easy to drink 60mL shot twice a day, can reduce the degree of inflammatory and muscle soreness that elite players experience after a match.
“There are various products that are marketed to aid recovery from strenuous exercise. This pilot study provides some mechanistic insight that turmeric maybe a convenient and viable method to boost recovery.”
The findings of the study were published in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition.
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