Prepare for a series of blog posts that delve into the impact of our diet on exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD). These blogs will break down how the food we consume can aid muscle recovery after intense workouts and elevate overall performance. Stay tuned for straightforward insights and actionable tips! EIMD occurs when you engage in demanding workouts that involve a lot of stretching. This phenomenon has been well-studied in the realm of exercise science and leads to temporary symptoms such as muscle soreness, elevated levels of certain chemicals in the bloodstream, and inflammation. However, the key challenge lies in the fact that your muscles temporarily lose their ability to generate force. Researchers have explored various methods to address EIMD, including the utilization of nutrition to improve the situation and expedite recovery post-exercise. Nutrition plays a vital role in managing EIMD. This curated collection of articles aims to deepen our comprehension of how dietary choices can influence our body's responses to EIMD. The articles investigate the impact of different foods on the indicators of EIMD. Crum and their team undertook the task of exploring various compounds that have the potential to alleviate EIMD. While some of these compounds show promise, most lack the robust scientific evidence required to definitively establish their efficacy. Among the compounds studied, tart cherry and omega-3 fatty acids exhibit the most promising results. Others such as curcumin, pomegranate, creatine monohydrate, β-hydroxy β-methylbutyrate (HMB), and branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) may also offer benefits, but further evidence is needed. On a different note, Khemtong and their team raised questions about the effectiveness of BCAAs after sprints involving frequent changes in direction.Protein, particularly from animal sources, is known to aid in muscle repair following EIMD. However, with the growing popularity of plant-based proteins, it's important to determine their effectiveness. Spoelder and their group studied older adults who consumed pea protein, whey protein, or had no additional dietary changes for two weeks. Interestingly, only those who consumed whey protein showed reduced CK (Creatine Kinase) levels after an extended walk. Fraschetti and their team also revealed that cow's milk can mitigate inflammation and assist after intense exercise. Emerging concepts are equally intriguing. Lee and their group and Yeh and their team found that specific bacteria and plant compounds may contribute to reducing muscle damage and inflammation. Ayyadurai and their team adopted a unique approach, utilizing innovative analysis methods to suggest that a specific acid might alleviate muscle soreness by enhancing liver function. This could potentially revolutionize our approach to managing EIMD.

In summary, the articles in this curated collection enhance our understanding of how nutrition can shape our body's reactions to EIMD. They shed light on the potential of various foods and compounds in aiding recovery from demanding workouts and muscle damage [8]. As you focus on your fitness journey, remember that your dietary choices can significantly impact your body's healing process and overall strength development.

Credits

O’Connor, E.; Mundel, T.; Barnes, M.J. Nutritional Compounds to Improve Post-Exercise Recovery. Nutrients 2022, 14, 5069.

Khemtong, C.; Tessitore, A.; Jaime, S.J.; Gobbi, G.; Jensen, J.; Yang, A.-L.; Kuo, C.-H.; Condello, G. Branched-chain amino acids supplementation does not accelerate recovery after a change of direction sprinting exercise protocol. Nutrients 2022, 14, 4331.

Spoelder, M.; Koopmans, L.; Hartman, Y.A.W.; Bongers, C.C.W.G.; Schoofs, M.C.A.; Eijsvogels, T.M.H.; Hopman, M.T.E. Supplementation with whey protein, but not pea protein, reduces muscle damage following long-distance walking in older adults. Nutrients 2023, 15, 342.

Fraschetti, E.C.; Skelly, L.E.; Prowting, J.L.; Abdul-Sater, A.A.; Josse, A.R. The acute effects of milk consumption on systemic inflammation after combined resistance and plyometric exercise in young adult females. Nutrients 2022, 14, 4532.

Lee, M.-C.; Ho, C.-S.; Hsu, Y.-J.; Huang, C.-C. Live and heat-killed probiotic Lactobacillus paracasei PS23 accelerated the improvement and recovery of strength and damage biomarkers after exercise-induced muscle damage. Nutrients 2022, 14, 4563.

Yeh, T.-S.; Lei, T.-H.; Barnes, M.J.; Zhang, L. Astragalosides supplementation enhances intrinsic muscle repair capacity following eccentric exercise-induced injury. Nutrients 2022, 14, 4339.

Ayyadurai, V.A.S.; Deonikar, P.; Fields, C. Mechanistic understanding of D-Glucaric acid to support liver detoxification essential to muscle health using a computational systems biology approach. Nutrients 2023, 15, 733.

Barnes MJ. Nutrition-Based Strategies to Reduce Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage and Soreness. Nutrients. 2023 May 29;15(11):2523. doi: 10.3390/nu15112523. PMID: 37299486; PMCID: PMC10255909.

Image Credits : author/luis-molinero