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Definition: "An ergogenic aid is any substance or phenomenon that enhances performance "
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14.09.2009 |
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US army study: curcumin improves performance after heavy exertion
The researchers gave mice half a gram of standard feed a day [plac]. Half were given feed to which 10 mg of curcumin had been added [cur]. After three days the mice had to run for two and a half hours. One group ran downhill at a gradient of -14 degrees. Another group ran uphill, running up a slope of +14 degrees.
The researchers waited for a period of 48 or 72 hours after the initial activity, and then got the mice to run again. They measured how long it took before the mice literally could run no longer. The figure below shows that the curcumin supplement improved the performance of the mice that ran downhill. The effects in the other groups were not significant.
Another marker for muscle damage is the concentration of inflammatory proteins in the muscle tissue. The researchers measured the amount of TNF-alpha, interleukin 6 and interleukin 1-beta in the mice's muscles and observed that curcumin inhibited the production of proteins. The figure below shows what happened to TNF-alpha.
The researchers concluded from their experiments that curcumin may be interesting for soldiers and athletes who place heavy demands on their bodies, but don't have the time needed for recovery. Anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen don't help them with the pain and also slow down the recovery process. [At least in young people, perhaps not in elderly people.] But it looks as though curcumin does work. "These findings may have important ramifications with respect to novel nutritional strategies that enhance performance recovery following stressful endurance events, such as those commonly undertaken by athletes and military personnel."
This website has referred to curcumin as the 'herbal clenbuterol'. Animal studies have shown that the compound derived from turmeric inhibits muscle breakdown. The compound inhibits some of the muscle damaging mechanisms in the muscle cells, such as calpain and the proteasome. What's more, curcumin raises the metabolism. In animal experiments curcumin primarily raises the burning of fatty acids. Users don't have to worry about side effects either. Probably curcumin extends life as well, as it works against the build up of protein plaque in the brain.
There are already sports supplements containing curcumin on the market. You'll find the compound in Mannatech's BounceBack for example. The manufacturer recently published a human study which suggests that BounceBack brings a small amount of relief for training-induced muscle damage.
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