Can Pomegranate Juice Eliminate Post Workout Muscle Soreness?
Pomegranate Juice and Muscle Soreness
Researchers from the Human Performance Lab at the University of Texas at Austin have found that men who supplemented with pomegranate juice experienced…
- increased elbow flexion strength, and
- decreased elbow flexor muscle soreness
… after performing a series of eccentric strength exercises.
Unfortunately, while the pomegranate juice worked wonders on the upper body, the same can’t be said for the lower body.
During the study, the researchers also exposed the test subjects to eccentric strength exercises targeting the knee extensors. And unlike the biceps (elbow flexors), the pomegranate juice had little effect on the muscle strength or soreness of the quadriceps (knee extensors)
And why is that?
Ellagitannin and Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness
It’s unknown at this time, but the U of Texas researchers are continuing to study how ellagitannin rich pomegranate juice may be used as a treatment for delayed onset muscle soreness.
In previous (and ongoing) studies, researchers have investigated ellagitannin as an effective treatment for the pain of pregnancy, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, dental conditions, erectile dysfunction, bacterial infections and antibiotic resistance, ultraviolet radiation-induced skin damage, infant brain ischemia, male infertility, Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, and obesity.
Conclusion
[box type=”note”]The science behind ellagitannin rich pomegranate juice is pretty sketchy at this point…but then again…it wouldn’t hurt to splash a little Pom Juice into your morning smoothie.[/box]
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Reference
Not all Pomegranate Juice supplements are created equal
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf9010017
The content of ellagic acid has been used to standardize most pomegranate extract dietary supplements marketed.
However, supplements can be adulterated with ellagic acid from less expensive plant sources and undercut this method of standardization.
To compare the phytochemical contents and antioxidant activities of commercially available pomegranate extract dietary supplements beyond their content of ellagic acid, a total of 27 different supplements in the form of capsules, tablets, and soft gels were studied. Total phenolics were measured using both gallic acid equivalent (GAE) and ellagic acid equivalent (EAE) assays. Punicalagins, punicalin, and ellagic acid contents were determined by HPLC, whereas antioxidant capacity was measured using the Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assay.
Of the 27 supplements tested, only 5 had the typical pomegranate tannin profile by HPLC, 17 had ellagic acid as the predominant chemical with minor or no detectable pomegranate tannins, and 5 had no detectable tannins or ellagic acid.
Therefore, standardization of pomegranate extract supplements based on their ellagic acid content does not guarantee pomegranate supplement authenticity.
Future research is needed to assess the health impact of substituting ellagic acid for the complex mix of phytochemicals in a pomegranate extract dietary supplement.
Good comment Douglas ! It is the same with almost all juices, in particular berry juices !