The journal Frontiers in Nutrition has published a new study analyzing how the ingestion of almonds affects post-exercise inflammation and muscle soreness and damage.
Researchers conducted a study with a randomized, parallel group design to determine whether daily consumption of almonds would mitigate post-exercise inflammation and muscle soreness and damage. A total of 64 non-obese adults, who did not regularly engage in resistance training, were instructed to consume either 57 grams of almonds or a calorie-matched snack bar each day for four weeks. After completing 90 minutes of eccentric exercise to induce muscle damage, participants were assessed for changes in plasma oxylipins, urinary gut-derived phenolics, plasma cytokines, muscle damage biomarkers, mood states and exercise performance.
Almond consumption was found to be associated with reduced post-exercise fatigue and tension, higher levels of leg/back strength and lower levels of serum creatine kinase. Participants who consumed almonds had significantly higher post-exercise plasma levels of 12,13-DiHOME and lower levels of 9,10-DiHOME, as well as higher urine levels of seven gut-derived phenolics. The findings suggest that almond intake has positive effects on improving mood state, retaining strength and decreasing muscle damage.
The Almond Board of California provided funding for this study.
Nieman, D. C., Omar, A. M., Kay, C. D., Kasote, D. M., Sakaguchi, C. A., Lkhagva, A., Weldemariam, M. M. & Zhang, Q. (2023) Almond intake alters the acute plasma dihydroxy-octadecenoic acid (DiHOME) response to eccentric exercise. Frontiers in Nutrition, 9.