NUTRITION STRATEGIES FOR DELAYED-ONSET MUSCLE SORENESS

Delayed-onset muscle soreness, commonly known as DOMS, frequently affects training plans and even competition performance.

What is delayed-onset muscle soreness?

DOMS was traditionally attributed to crystallized lactic acid, but we now know that this metabolite—which is present as lactate rather than lactic acid—does not crystallize at the body's pH. Current evidence shows that DOMS results from mechanical damage to muscle fibers, specifically their contractile and structural components. When the external and internal muscle-fiber membranes, including the sarcoplasmic reticulum, are disrupted, this structural damage increases intracellular calcium and triggers metabolic processes. These include inflammatory responses that cause pain and reduce performance (McKune et al., 2012). Muscle damage therefore occurs mainly during long-duration exercise with a substantial eccentric component, such as landing from jumps or running—especially downhill—and is common after marathons, triathlons and particularly mountain or trail races.

As shown in Figure 1, an event that causes muscle damage immediately reduces muscle function and performance. Inflammation then rises progressively, accompanied by muscle soreness that peaks at around 24-48 hours. These processes promote regeneration of the affected area by activating satellite cells, which develop into muscle cells and help repair damaged tissue.

Figure 1. Changes in muscle function, muscle soreness, inflammation and satellite-cell activation after muscle-damaging exercise. Adapted from Owens et al. (2019).

What can nutrition do?

DOMS is multifactorial, involving both mechanical disruption of cell membranes and metabolic processes such as inflammation and oxidative stress. Several nutrition strategies may therefore help prevent or at least attenuate some consequences of muscle damage, as summarized by Owens et al. in a recent review (Owens et al., 2019) (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Potential nutrition interventions to reduce the consequences of muscle damage. Purple, green and red circles indicate strategies acting on inflammation, muscle function and satellite-cell activation, respectively.

Post-exercise protein increases muscle protein synthesis and thereby supports muscle-tissue regeneration. Protein intake should be increased after exercise likely to cause muscle damage because part of the protein consumed will be used to repair damaged tissue, reducing the amount available to build additional muscle—which is counterproductive when the goal is hypertrophy (Damas et al., 2018).

Some foods also have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, particularly those containing polyphenols, such as cherries and pomegranates. Although these foods do not reduce the initial mechanical damage, they may limit secondary damage caused by increased free radicals and inflammatory markers, accelerating the recovery of muscle function. Foods rich in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, including salmon, tuna and walnuts, and vitamin D also have anti-inflammatory effects and may attenuate the inflammatory response to muscle damage. Finally, some evidence suggests that creatine may support muscle-fiber regeneration after damage by increasing the number of satellite cells (Olsen et al., 2006).

Conclusions

Optimal training planning remains the main strategy for preventing excessive soreness that impairs subsequent sessions, but nutrition may help attenuate its consequences. Because DOMS arises through several mechanisms, relevant strategies range from protein intake to support muscle repair to foods or supplements with antioxidant or anti-inflammatory properties. However, blocking the oxidative-stress and inflammatory responses to muscle damage—as discussed previously in relation to cold exposure —may reduce exercise adaptations.

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AUTHOR

Pedro Valenzuela
Researcher in the Physiology Unit at the University of Alcalá and the Performance Monitoring Unit at the Sports Medicine Center (AEPSAD, Madrid High Performance Center).
Website: www.fissac.com

References

Damas, F., Libardi, C.A., Ugrinowitsch, C., 2018. The development of skeletal muscle hypertrophy through resistance training: the role of muscle damage and muscle protein synthesis. Eur. J. Appl. Physiol. 118, 485–500. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-017-3792-9

McKune, A., Semple, S., Peters-Futre, E., 2012. Acute Exercise-Induced Muscle Injury. Biol. Sport 29, 3–10. https://doi.org/10.5604/20831862.978976

Olsen, S., Aagaard, P., Kadi, F., Tufekovic, G., Verney, J., Olesen, J.L., Suetta, C., Kjær, M., 2006. Creatine supplementation augments the increase in satellite cell and myonuclei number in human skeletal muscle induced by strength training. J. Physiol. 573, 525–534. https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.2006.107359

Owens, D.J., Twist, C., Cobley, J.N., Howatson, G., Close, G.L., 2019. Exercise-induced muscle damage: What is it, what causes it and what are the nutritional solutions? Eur. J. Sport Sci. 19, 71–85. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2018.1505957