Cranberries have the highest polyphenol and antioxidant capacity among fruits and vegetables and may protect against exercise-induced free radical production, consequently improving performance. In a new study, scientists investigated the effect of polyphenol-rich cranberry extract on time-trial performance and lactate response following exercise.
Polyphenols, including proanthocyanidins, anthocyanins, flavonols, and flavonols, are secondary plant compounds found in fruits and vegetables.
Cranberries have the highest total polyphenol content among the most consumed fruits in the American diet, and one of the highest antioxidant capacities among fruits and vegetables.
Furthermore, their polyphenol content stands out because of the high concentration in rare A-type proanthocyanidin, which is believed to be the main contributor to their beneficial effects.
The use of dietary supplements is growing among athletes, and many are turning to natural health products to improve exercise performance.
Strenuous exercise significantly increases reactive oxygen species production owing to high oxidative metabolic demands.
Consequently, polyphenols may offer natural antioxidant defense against exercise-induced free radical production.
“When it comes to elite athletes, any advantage can make the difference between finishing fifth or on the podium,” said study’s senior author Dr. Andreas Bergdahl, a researcher at Concordia University.
Fot the study, Dr. Bergdahl and his colleagues recruited 14 high-level runners who are performing at least five hours of endurance training a week.
The athletes ran two time trials over three separate visits, one a 1,500-m, the other a 400-m.
The first visit was used as a baseline. At the second, they were given a single large dose of cranberry extract two hours before running.
The athletes were then instructed to consume a small dose of cranberry extract daily for 28 days, after which they repeated the runs for a third time.
“We…
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