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Published in: European Journal of Nutrition 7/2020

01-10-2020 | Original Contribution

Açai pulp supplementation as a nutritional strategy to prevent oxidative damage, improve oxidative status, and modulate blood lactate of male cyclists

Authors: Sara Ivone Barros Morhy Terrazas, Bryan Steve Martinez Galan, Flávia Giolo De Carvalho, Vinicius Paula Venancio, Lusânia Maria Greggi Antunes, Marcelo Papoti, Maricely Janette Uria Toro, Iuri Ferreira da Costa, Ellen Cristini de Freitas

Published in: European Journal of Nutrition | Issue 7/2020

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Abstract

Purpose

Açai pulp is a source of phytochemicals and has been associated with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antigenotoxic effects. This study aimed to assess the effects of açai pulp consumption on oxidative, inflammatory, and aerobic capacity markers of cyclist athletes.

Research methods and procedures

A crossover, randomized, placebo-controlled, single-blind study was developed with ten male cyclists (33.5 ± 4.7 years old, body mass index of 23.9 ± 1.38 kg/m2, and training load around 1875 ± 238 AU/week). The athletes consumed 400 g/day of pasteurized açai pulp (AP) or placebo (PL) for 15 days, with a 30-day wash-out period between trials. Lipid peroxidation, serum antioxidant capacity, DNA damage in peripheral blood (Comet assay), IL-6 and TNF-alpha, blood lactate concentration during effort, anaerobic threshold intensity (ATi), maximum workload reached (Wmax), rating of perceived exertion threshold (RPET), and heart rate threshold (HRT) were evaluated before and after each intervention. Data were analyzed using a linear regression model with mixed effects (p ≤ 0.05).

Results

Increased serum antioxidant capacity (p = 0.006) and decreased lipid peroxidation (p = 0.01) were observed in subjects after intervention with AP. Blood lactate levels during effort significantly decreased (by 29%, p = 0.025) and ATi increased (p = 0.006) after AP. No significant effect on DNA damage was attributed to AP consumption.

Conclusion

We found notable effects of AP intervention on antioxidant status in athletes. Both the reduction in blood lactate concentration and increase in ATi during the effort suggest an overall improvement in the aerobic capacity of the cyclists, confirming that AP consumption may influence variables associated with performance in endurance athletes.
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Metadata
Title
Açai pulp supplementation as a nutritional strategy to prevent oxidative damage, improve oxidative status, and modulate blood lactate of male cyclists
Authors
Sara Ivone Barros Morhy Terrazas
Bryan Steve Martinez Galan
Flávia Giolo De Carvalho
Vinicius Paula Venancio
Lusânia Maria Greggi Antunes
Marcelo Papoti
Maricely Janette Uria Toro
Iuri Ferreira da Costa
Ellen Cristini de Freitas
Publication date
01-10-2020
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
European Journal of Nutrition / Issue 7/2020
Print ISSN: 1436-6207
Electronic ISSN: 1436-6215
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-019-02138-7

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