Polyphenols have been suggested to aid exercise recovery through antioxidant properties, but their efficacy remains controversial, partly due to limited bioavailability. This study investigated whether low-molecular weight polyphenols (LMWPs, oligonol) influence metabolic responses related to fatigue and oxidative stress during and after a maximal exercise test in healthy young men. A randomized, single-blind crossover design includes a placebo, a single dose of LMWP (S-LMWP), and 5-day LMWP (5-LMWP) intervention with ≥2-week washouts. Ten eligible participants completed all conditions. Exercise performance, fatigue-related metabolic parameters, and oxidative stress markers were measured before, immediately after, and 30 min after exercise. Heart rate and lactate were additionally assessed for 5 min post-exercise. Exercise performance and anthropometrics did not differ among conditions. However, both LMWP groups showed significantly lower blood lactate at 30 min recovery compared with the placebo group (placebo: 17.09 ± 1.29; S-LMWP: 8.36 ± 0.73; 5-LMWP: 9.18 ± 0.60; p = 0.005). Malondialdehyde (MDA), elevated immediately post-exercise, returned closer to baseline at 30 min in the LMWP groups, particularly S-LMWP. Percent MDA change was significantly lower in the S-LMWP group than in the placebo group (placebo: 26.80 ± 3.01; S-LMWP: −8.41 ± 4.86; p = 0.007). Short-term LMWP supplementation did not affect performance or immediate responses but was associated with a more favorable recovery profile, including lower lactate and faster normalization of oxidative stress markers. Larger controlled studies are needed to confirm these findings.
Kim et al. (Sat,) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: