ANTIOXIDANT-RICH FOODS: A USEFUL RECOVERY STRATEGY

Physical exercise causes oxidative stress and inflammation that can damage cells throughout the body (1). Oxidative stress, inflammation and cellular damage increase with exercise intensity and duration, with negative consequences for performance, recovery and athlete health (1). Certain periods of the season are therefore critical, particularly when training volume or intensity rises—for example, with double training sessions or frequent competitions.

Antioxidants can provide a nutritional tool to counter increased oxidative stress, inflammation and cellular damage (2). These nutrients help oppose oxidative damage and are found mainly in plant foods such as fruit, vegetables and spices. Antioxidants can help maintain normal immune function, reduce inflammation and generally support health (3) and recovery. Key antioxidant nutrients include vitamins A, C and E, selenium and phytochemicals such as catechins, resveratrol and anthocyanins.

High-dose antioxidant supplementation does not benefit performance or health and may even impair physiological adaptations to training (4). By contrast, combining training with antioxidant-rich plant foods may help regulate stress and inflammation (4), muscle damage and muscle recovery (5,6).

How can antioxidant-rich foods be used in practice?

During periods without excessive training intensity or volume, a varied diet containing enough vegetables each day should be sufficient, with no need for additional strategies.

However, several situations deserve particular attention: 1) when recovery must be maximized or exercise-induced stress and muscle damage minimized, such as two consecutive competitions, a qualifying session followed by a final, or a period with more frequent events; 2) when training volume or intensity increases substantially, such as the introduction of double sessions, a new strength-training session, longer training or a training camp; and 3) when usual training conditions change, such as altitude training or travel to locations with adverse weather.

In these situations, larger amounts of antioxidant-rich foods may help enhance the benefits described above. They can be included in the post-workout meal and throughout the rest of the day.

What are the nutritional options?

Although all plant foods contain some antioxidants, certain foods provide a higher concentration in a smaller volume. Options include berries such as blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and strawberries; tart cherry juice; cocoa or dark chocolate with a high cocoa percentage; green tea; broccoli; garlic; onion; ginger; cinnamon; turmeric; and citrus fruit.

Some simple, practical ideas include:

1. 1. Berry or tart cherry juices.
   2. Berries with cocoa, cinnamon and yogurt, milk or a plant-based drink.
   3. Fruit juices, including citrus or berry juices, with ginger and cinnamon.
   4. Berries with dark chocolate.
   5. Green tea or ginger infusions as an additional source of fluid between meals.

Caffeine is unquestionably one of the supplements with the strongest scientific evidence for improving performance across a range of sports. It can improve reaction time, speed, muscle strength, muscular endurance, alertness, cognition and various aerobic and anaerobic outcomes1.

Supplementation is recommended around 45–60 min before exercise at a dose of 3–6 mg/kg of body weight—for example, at 60kg, 180–360 mg; or at 80kg, 240–480mg—because the maximum caffeine peak is reached after 45–60 min, which may maximize performance2,3. However, the performance-enhancing effect has a duration of up to 2 hours. Its effects may therefore be reduced in events lasting longer than those 2 hours, especially during their final stages, as in cycling, Ironman triathlon and ultradistance running.

Prolonged events involve accumulating fatigue that becomes increasingly evident as competition progresses. Depending on event duration, consuming caffeine during exercise may therefore benefit performance. Indeed, low-dose caffeine supplementation during exercise has been shown to improve performance in endurance events lasting more than 2 hours, including running and cycling3.

In these disciplines, it may be useful to consider caffeine intake every 2 hours, always at lower doses than those described above. Specifically, 2–3 mg/kg of body weight every 2 hours is recommended—for example, at 60kg, 120–180 mg; or at 80kg, 160–240 mg1–3. Effective supplementation requires considering the last intake and the end of the competition because blood levels peak after 45–60 min. In very long events (>5–6 h), athletes may take a caffeine dose for the final section1–3. A dose can also be introduced halfway through the event, just as the ergogenic effect begins to decline, 2 h after supplementation. If the intake can be divided, another dose of caffeine may be used strategically at a key point in the competition: before a mountain climb, for example, a dose could be taken 30–45 min before the ascent begins.

Supplementation can use coffee, capsules of caffeine or even carbohydrate gels or bars containing caffeine. Caffeine content in coffee can vary greatly, however, so capsules or gels with standardized caffeine content may be more practical.

It is also important to test the supplementation plan before competition during similar training sessions, because gut tolerance must be trained to avoid possible gastrointestinal problems1–3. Both the amounts and the caffeine sources should therefore be tested before race day.

Examples of a supplementation plan for a 4-hour event for athletes weighing 50, 60, 70 or 80kg.

Finally, these guidelines are based on scientific evidence but remain indicative, so requirements must be adapted and individualized for each athlete.

Author

Lucas Jurado Fasoli
PhD in Biomedicine
Dietitian-nutritionist and postdoctoral researcher at the University of Granada

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References:

1. Guest, N. S. et al. International society of sports nutrition position stand: caffeine and exercise performance. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition vol. 18 (2021).
2. Burke, L. M. Caffeine and sports performance. in Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism vol. 33 1319–1324 (2008).
3. Spriet, L. L. Exercise and Sport Performance with Low Doses of Caffeine. Sports Medicine vol. 44 175–184 (2014).

Author

Lucas Jurado Fasoli

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References:

1. Gomez-Cabrera MC, Carretero A, Millan-Domingo F, Garcia-Dominguez E, Correas AG, Olaso-Gonzalez G, et al. Redox-related biomarkers in physical exercise. Redox Biol. 2021 Jun 1;42.
2. Halliwell B. Understanding mechanisms of antioxidant action in health and disease. Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology. Nature Research; 2023.
3. Shahbazi R, Sharifzad F, Bagheri R, Alsadi N, Yasavoli-Sharahi H, Matar C. Anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties of fermented plant foods. Vol. 13, Nutrients. MDPI AG; 2021.
4. Margaritelis N V., Paschalis V, Theodorou AA, Kyparos A, Nikolaidis MG. Antioxidants in personalized nutrition and exercise. Vol. 9, Advances in Nutrition. Oxford University Press; 2018. p. 813–23.
5. Harty PS, Cottet ML, Malloy JK, Kerksick CM. Nutritional and Supplementation Strategies to Prevent and Attenuate Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage: a Brief Review. Vol. 5, Sports Medicine – Open. Springer; 2019.
6. Owens DJ, Twist C, Cobley JN, Howatson G, Close GL. Exercise-induced muscle damage: What is it, what causes it and what are the nutritional solutions? Vol. 19, European Journal of Sport Science. Taylor and Francis Ltd.; 2019. p. 71–85.