Abstract This study examined whether consuming a (poly)phenol‐rich food before strenuous muscle‐damaging exercise can modify post‐exercise markers of inflammation and oxidative stress. Using a double‐blinded, randomised, placebo‐controlled, between‐subjects design, 26 recreationally active males ( n = 15) and females ( n = 11) consumed higher‐(poly)phenol (H‐POL) foods (dates, dark chocolate, pomegranate; 285.1 mg/day) or lower‐(poly)phenol foods (L‐POL) (cereal bar, milk chocolate, sports drink; 88.3 mg/day) for 3 days before, and then 30 min before, strenuous exercise (100 drop jumps, 50 squat jumps). A range of blood markers associated with inflammation (total and differential leukocytes, interleukin (IL)‐6, IL‐10, IL‐1β, IL‐2, IL‐4, IL‐12, tumour necrosis factor‐alpha (TNF‐α), interferon‐gamma (IFN‐γ), monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 (MCP‐1), granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor), and oxidative stress (glutathione peroxidase (GPX), 4‐hydroxynonenal (4‐HNE), and urinary 8‐hydroxy‐2′‐deoxyguanosine (8‐OHdG)) were quantified pre, immediately post, 1 and 2 h post‐exercise. One hundred and nineteen plasma (poly)phenol metabolites were measured pre, immediately post and 1 h post‐exercise. Total plasma (poly)phenol concentrations were greater in the H‐POL vs. L‐POL intervention, peaking 1 h post‐exercise (H‐POL: 239.5 ± 87.8 µM vs. L‐POL 58.9 ± 33.8 µM; P < 0.001). There were interaction effects for IL‐10 and TNF‐α but no differences with post hoc tests. Urinary 8‐OHdG excretion was higher in H‐POL vs L‐POL (condition effect; P < 0.001), whereas erythrocytes GPX activity was higher in the L‐POL vs. H‐POL (condition effect; P < 0.001). A (poly)phenol food intervention before exercise increased total plasma (poly)phenol concentrations but had limited and inconsistent effects on markers of inflammation and oxidative stress in the 2 h after strenuous exercise.
Hebshi et al. (Fri,) studied this question.