Alterations in Systemic Inflammatory Response Following a Half-Marathon Race with a Combined Curcumin and Pomegranate Supplement: A Feasibility Study

Abstract

Endurance running training can lead to gradual accumulation of inflammation and soreness ultimately resulting in overuse injuries. Management of soreness and inflammation with pharmaceuticals (i.e. non-prescription pain relievers) during long-term training is not a suitable solution due to known side effects (e.g. gastrointestinal complications, etc.). Dietary polyphenols (i.e. curcumin, pomegranate, etc.) have been purported to reduce inflammation and muscle soreness, without these negative side effects making them ideal for use in an exercise model. The purpose of the present feasibility study was to explore the combined effect of optimized curcumin and pomegranate extract supplementation prior to (PRE) and after (4H and 24H) an organized half-marathon race on blood inflammatory proteins and inflammation-associated RNA. Daily supplementation (1000 mg/d) started 26 days before a half-marathon which doubled on days 27-31. Data were analyzed with R software and Welch t-test, significance set at p < 0.05. At both 4H and 24H, supplementation was associated with alterations in protein (IL-10, IL-13, IL-4, ITAC, MIP-1alpha, MIP-3alpha, BDNF, sIL-2Ralpha, and TNF-alpha; p < 0.05) and RNA (CCL22, GUSB, IL-6, LINC00305, NKILA, PTGES, THRIL, TRAF6, ARG2, CD1A, CD55, CFI, CSF2, CXC3CL1, CX3CR1, EDNRB, GATA3, LILRB5, THY1, CD3D, MRC1, GPR183, HAMP, MBL2, CASP3, B2M, KLRF2, PDCD1LG2, IL-10, PTGS2, TLR2, IL-6R, IL-8, IL-7R, MASP1, MYD88, TNFRSF1B, TNFRSF1A, and TIRAP; p < 0.05) biomarkers compared to control. Pathway classification of these biomarkers indicated supplementation may be associated with a more favorable muscle recovery profile. Our findings support the notion that combined curcumin and pomegranate supplementation may represent a useful addition to a comprehensive exercise training plan.

Keywords:

• inflammation
• muscle injury
• polyphenols
• running

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the subjects for their participation in this study, Meredith McFarlin BSN, RN for her clinical assistance with sample collection, and Erin M. Bowman, MD for clinical oversight of the study and editing assistance preparing the present manuscript.

Disclosure statement

In kind support (supplements provided at no cost) was provided to the University of North Texas by Verdure Sciences (Restoridyn^®). The in kind sponsor had no role in study design, data collection, data analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. All authors report no conflict of interest with respect to the present publication.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Elizabeth A. Tanner

Dr. Brian K. McFarlin, PhD, FACSM is an Associate Dean and Professor with tenure (jointly appointed in Kinesiology and Biological Sciences) at the University of North Texas. Dr. McFarlin received his PhD in Exercise Physiology from Purdue University and completed a Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Nutrition at Purdue University. He has been a professor at the University of North Texas since 2012. Dr. McFarlin’s research focuses on the use of functional nutritional modifications to improve immune health and muscle recovery following strenuous training sessions. Since 2004, he has published more than 90 peer-reviewed articles and obtained more than 4 million USD in externally funded research grants. His current Google Scholar H-index ((Provide link for Google Scholar H index-https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=7rFU-GAAAAAJ)) is 39 (i10 index = 67). His research expertise includes nutrition, immune system monitoring, flow cytometry, and multiplex biomarker detection among other common biological measurement techniques. Dr. McFarlin is co-director of the University of North Texas’s Applied Physiology Laboratory. Dr. McFarlin is a Fellow Member of the American College of Sports Medicine. He is also an Editor for the Elsevier journal METHODS.

Melody A. Gary

Dr. Stephan Michalik, PhD, is a Data Scientist and Biostatistician at the University Medicine Greifswald in Germany. His research specialties lie with the use of R coding language to design exploratory statistical methods based on a variety of protein and molecular bead-based methodologies. He is considered an expert in the analysis of high fidelity data sets.

Asheal A. Davis

Ms. Elizabeth A. Tanner, MS, is a PhD student in Biological Sciences at the University of North Texas. She received her BS degree from Lock Haven University and an MS degree from The University of Nevada at Las Vegas prior to joining the APL team. Her research focuses on the physiology of distance run training and subsequent recovery.

Stephan Michalik

Ms. Melody A. Gary, MS, is a PhD student in Biological Sciences at the University of North Texas. She received her BS and MS degrees from The University of North Texas. Her research focuses on the identification of dietary ingredients with the potential to manage inflammation following exercise and in selected disease states.

Brian K. McFarlin

Mr. Asheal A. Davis, MS, is a research assistant in the APL. He received his BS and MS degrees from The University of North Texas. He serves a support role for a number of research areas in the APL.