Researchers found that supplementation with Meriva reduced muscle distress as evidenced by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the posterior or medial compartment of the thighs, and was associated with less discomfort in the lower limb and a blunted systemic inflammatory response when compared to a placebo.
The hallmark of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is delayed (from hours to days) muscular discomfort and stiffness after unaccustomed or strenuous exercise, with soreness being felt most strongly 24-72 hours after the exercise.
This randomised, placebo-controlled, single-blinded clinical study is the first to investigate the effects of Meriva on DOMS and involved 20 male, healthy and moderately active volunteers, randomised to Meriva 1g, twice daily (200mg curcumin b.i.d.) or a matching placebo.
Supplementation was initiated 48 hours prior to a downhill running test and was continued for 24 hours after the test (four days in total). Muscle soreness was quantified by magnetic resonance imaging, laboratory tests and histologic analyses on muscle samples obtained 48 hours after the test.
Volunteer-reported discomfort intensity was also recorded. They were asked to indicate the site of pain on a drawing representing the lower limbs, and to rank pain intensity on a 0-4 point scale, where 0=no pain, 4=disabling pain when descending or climbing stairs.
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