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14.12.2020

Phyllanthus amarus supplement protects against sore muscles

Traditional Indian healers use the anti-inflammatory extracts of Phyllanthus amarus against liver disease, asthma and cough. We haven't seen any pre-workout supplements with Phyllanthus amarus yet, but after reading the human study published by Thai sports scientist Thapanee Roengrit in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, we think they will pop up in web shops sooner or later.

Study
The researchers got 12 untrained men to cycle for 20 minutes on 2 different occasions at 80 percent of their maximum oxygen uptake. For untrained individuals such an exercise should result in some muscle pain.

Before the session and during the days after, the researchers looked at how hard they could push into the subjects' leg muscles without reaching their pain threshold.

On one occasion the subjects took a placebo just before the session and then a placebo during the following days.

The other time they took capsules containing Phyllanthus amarus. Each capsule contained 100 milligrams of dried plant powder, which contained 3.3 milligrams of polyphenols. You can see a few of those phenols below. Click on the figure for a larger version.

20 minutes before cycling, the subjects took 2 capsules. On the same day, the men took another 2 capsules at lunch and another 2 capsules at dinner.

On the first and second day after the session, the men took another 2 capsules with breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Results
Supplementation with Phyllanthus amarus increased pain threshold in both legs of the subjects.

The extract reduced the concentration of malondialdehyde in the subjects' blood. Malondialdehyde is released through the activity of free radicals, which in turn can be released through intensive physical exertion.

This suggests that the analgesic effect of Phyllanthus amarus is at least partly the work of antioxidants. The phenols in Phyllanthus amarus, the researchers suspect.

Conclusion
"Phyllanthus amarus supplementation improved oxidative stress and muscle soreness induced by high-intensity exercise", Roengrit writes. "This may encourage beginners or novices in sports activity or fitness to return to a competition or an exercise session the next day, with early recovery from muscle soreness."

Source:
J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2014 Mar 17;11(1):9.

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