Muscle

Turmeric and L-carnitine support muscle after exercise

Turmeric reduces post-match muscle soreness

Turmeric contains curcumin, a polyphenol shown to reduce muscle damage and soreness after recreational exercise. Here, doctors wanted to test turmeric for its ability to support recovery between matches among elite athletes. Throughout an eight-match season between October 2021 and April 2022, 24 professional soccer players took a placebo or 35 mg of turmeric, equivalent to 1,400 mg of curcumin, plus 10 mg of piperine, twice per day.

Doctors took the first baseline measurement of the inflammatory marker, C-reactive protein (CRP) after a 96-hour rest period, then again 64 hours after a soccer match. CRP had increased by 1,082 percent for those taking turmeric compared to 1,529 percent for placebo. The men reported whole-body and leg soreness, with the turmeric group scoring an average 36 percent less soreness compared to placebo.

Reference: Frontiers in Nutrition; 2023, Article No. 1175622

L-carnitine speeds exercise recovery

Exercise can damage muscles and trigger an inflammatory response that reduces physical performance. Earlier studies found L-carnitine reduced post-exercise muscle damage. In this review of 15 placebo-controlled trials, participants took L-carnitine from one to 26 days, before and during exercise.

Overall, compared to placebo, those taking L-carnitine had higher circulating levels of the nutrient, lower levels of oxidation, greater fat-burning to fuel muscles, and greater muscle stores of glycogen, a source of metabolic fuel.

Discussing the findings, doctors said L-carnitine energizes muscle,  reduces oxidation, and may be an effective supplement to accelerate muscle recovery after exercise.

Reference: Nutrients; 2023, Vol. 15, No. 11, Article N. 2587