Attenuation of indirect markers of eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage by curcumin.
OBJECTIVE
Polyphenolic curcumin is known to have potent anti-inflammatory effects; thus the present study investigated the hypothesis that curcumin ingestion would attenuate muscle damage after eccentric exercise.


METHODS
Fourteen untrained young men (24 ± 1 years) performed 50 maximal isokinetic (120°/s) eccentric contractions of the elbow flexors of one arm on an isokinetic dynamometer and the same exercise with the other arm 4 weeks later. They took 150 mg of curcumin (theracurmin) or placebo (starch) orally before and 12 h after each eccentric exercise bout in a randomised, crossover design. Maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) torque of the elbow flexors, range of motion of the elbow joint, upper-arm circumference, muscle soreness, serum creatine kinase (CK) activity, and plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) concentration were measured before, immediately after, and 24, 48, 72 and 96 h after each eccentric exercise. Changes in these variables over time were compared between curcumin and placebo conditions by two-way repeated measures ANOVA.


RESULTS
MVC torque decreased smaller and recovered faster (e.g., 4 days post-exercise: -31 ± 13 % vs. -15 ± 15 %), and peak serum CK activity was smaller (peak: 7684 ± 8959 IU/L vs. 3398 ± 3562 IU/L) for curcumin than placebo condition (P < 0.05). However, no significant differences between conditions were evident for other variables, and no significant changes in IL-6 and TNF-α were evident after exercise.


CONCLUSIONS
It is concluded that theracurmin ingestion attenuates some aspects of muscle damage such as MVC loss and CK activity increase.
Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Science, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
Yoko
Y
Tanabe
Seiji
S
Maeda
Nobuhiko
N
Akazawa
Asako
A
Zempo-Miyaki
Youngju
Y
Choi
Song-Gyu
SG
Ra
Atsushi
A
Imaizumi
Yoshihiko
Y
Otsuka
Kazunori
K
Nosaka
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D012090:Cumulative Trauma Disorders / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003474:Curcumin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D015444:Exercise; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000293:injuries*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D016207:Cytokines; D003474:Curcumin