Effects of Quercetin Supplementation on Markers of Muscle Damage and Inflammation after Eccentric Exercise

Abstract

The flavonoid quercetin is purported to have potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This study examined if quercetin supplementation attenuates indicators of exercise-induced muscle damage in a double-blind laboratory study. Thirty healthy subjects were randomized to quercetin (QU) or placebo (PL) supplementation and performed 2 separate sessions of 24 eccentric contractions of the elbow flexors. Muscle strength, soreness, resting arm angle, upper arm swelling, serum creatine kinase (CK) activity, plasma quercetin (PQ), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and C-reactive protein (CRP) were assessed before and for 5 d after exercise. Subjects then ingested nutrition bars containing 1,000 mg/d QU or PL for 7 d before and 5 d after the second exercise session, using the opposite arm. PQ reached 202 ± 52 ng/ml after 7 d of supplementation and remained elevated during the 5-d postexercise recovery period (p < .05). Subjects experienced strength loss (peak = 47%), muscle soreness (peak = 39 ± 6 mm), reduced arm angle (-7° ± 1°), CK elevations (peak = 3,307 ± 1,481 U/L), and arm swelling (peak = 11 ± 2 mm; p < .0001), indicating muscle damage and inflammation; however, differences between treatments were not detected. Eccentric exercise did not alter plasma IL-6 (peak = 1.9 pg/ml) or CRP (peak = 1.6 mg/L) relative to baseline or by treatment. QU supplementation had no effect on markers of muscle damage or inflammation after eccentric exercise of the elbow flexors.

Quercetin Inhibits Peripheral and Spinal Cord Nociceptive Mechanisms to Reduce Intense Acute Swimming-Induced Muscle Pain in Mice

“…Corroborating, quercetin co-ingested with other flavonoids and food components prevents inflammation in trained cyclists 3 days after exercise [16] and confers myocardium protection against intense exercise injury [20]. On the other hand, quercetin did not reduce blood oxidative stress and inflammation or muscle inflammation and damage in post-exercise during clinical trials possibly due to high dose treatment during a long period [14,15,17,19]. Therefore, whether quercetin has beneficial effects in muscle inflammation and oxidative stress is still controversial.…”

The effect of polyphenols on cytokine and granulocyte response to resistance exercise

“…Specifically, polyphenol supplementation has been demonstrated to reduce force deficits and markers of muscle damage in response to resistance exercise (Panza et al 2008;Jowko et al 2011), while others have demonstrated equivocal results (Paulsen et al 2014). Although supplementation with antioxidants (vitamins A, C, and E) appear to blunt the response of the proinflammatory cytokines following endurance exercise (Vassilakopoulos et al 2003), the benefits of polyphenol supplementation in conjunction with eccentric exercise have been ambiguous (Kerksick et al 2010;O'Fallon et al 2012;Herrlinger et al 2015). Decreases in circulating neutrophil counts have been observed following eccentric exercise in conjunction with epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) supplementation (Kerksick et al 2010), though the fate of these cells is unknown.…”

The effects PCSO-524®, a patented marine oil lipid and omega-3 PUFA blend derived from the New Zealand green lipped mussel (Perna canaliculus), on indirect markers of muscle damage and inflammation after muscle damaging exercise in untrained men: a randomized, placebo controlled trial

“…Due to the fact that there appears to be no completely effective treatment for preventing/reducing EIMD and treating DOMS [1,6], the use of complimentary therapy, in particular nutraceuticals (e.g. tart cherry juice [9], curcumin [10], and quercetin [11]) that possess anti-inflammatory properties and have the potential to attenuate EIMD-induced oxidative stress, have become of interest [1]. …”