Short-term Astaxanthin Supplementation Enhances Cycling Performance and Attenuates Exhaustive Exercise-induced Muscle Damage and Oxidative Stress in Young Healthy Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Short-term Astaxanthin Supplementation Enhances Cycling Performance and Attenuates Exhaustive Exercise-induced Muscle Damage and Oxidative Stress in Young Healthy Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Ten young, healthy, physically active male college students were crossed over for AST or placebo supplements randomized into placebo or AST trials and orally consumed placebo or AST (28 mg/d) supplements for four days. Short-term AST supplementation enhanced endurance performance and effectively reversed cycling challenge-induced muscle damage and lipid peroxidation.
AST is composed of two β-ionone ring systems that are linked by a polyene chain and contain oxygenated keto and hydroxyl moieties, which are responsible for its powerful antioxidant activity. AST has been shown to have numerous health benefits in humans, including improved antioxidant and inflammatory status under different stress conditions. Therefore, this study will explore AST supplement to improve exercise-induced muscle damage and/or physiological anomalies in adults. Ten physically active male adults were randomized into placebo or AST trials and consumed placebo or AST (28 mg/d) supplements orally for 4 days. On day-4, participants performed an exhaustive cycling challenge at 75% V̇O2max, and the time to exhaustion (TTE) was recorded. Blood and gaseous samples were collected before, during, and immediately after cycling to determine changes in muscle damage, inflammation, oxidative stress, and substrate utilization.
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