Curcumin May Help Reduce Muscle Damage and Improve Performance

Exercise-induced muscle damage typically results in impaired performance, increased discomfort and soreness, and reduced training quality. A recent study has found that supplementation with curcumin may help reduce exercise-induced muscle damage and improve performance in sedentary people.

The researchers used findings from 5 clinical trials that included 98 sedentary participants for their study. The trials looked at the effect of supplementation with curcumin on muscle damage, performance, and inflammatory markers in sedentary adults following acute exercise.

The researchers found that supplementation with curcumin resulted in less muscle damage and better muscle performance following acute exercise. It was also associated with a reduction in inflammatory markers. The amount of curcumin provided during the trials ranged from 180 to 400 mg daily.

The study was conducted by researchers from Universidade Federal de Viçosa. It was published online ahead of print on October 7, 2021, in the journal Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity .