Effect of 6-week curcumin supplementation on aerobic capacity, antioxidant status and sirtuin 3 level in middle-aged amateur long-distance runners

ABSTRACT

Background

The study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of 6-week supplementation with a daily dose of 2g of curcumin on VO_2max and prooxidant/antioxidant homeostasis in middle-aged amateur long-distance runners during the preparatory period of the macrocycle.

Methods

Thirty runners were randomly assigned to a placebo group (PL) and a curcumin-supplemented group (CU). Their VO_2max was assessed before supplementation and after 6 weeks of supplementation. Venous blood samples were collected from the participants at rest, immediately after exercise, and after 1h of recovery to evaluate the activity of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, GPx), non-enzymatic antioxidants (GSH, UA) and sirtuin 3 level (SIRT 3), as well as the levels of oxidative stress markers (TOS/TOC, MDA, and 8-OHdG) and muscle damage markers (CK, LDH, and Mb).

Results

VO_2max, the activity of enzymatic antioxidants, the concentrations of non-enzymatic antioxidants, the levels of oxidative stress markers, and the levels of muscle damage markers did not change significantly in the CU group over 6 weeks of supplementation with curcumin. However, the resting concentration of SIRT 3 was found to be significantly higher (p ≤ 0.05) compared with pre-supplementation.

Conclusion

Curcumin supplementation does not have a significant effect on VO_2max and prooxidant/antioxidant homeostasis in runners.

KEYWORDS:

• flavonoids
• Supplementation
• antioxidant enzymes
• non-enzymatic antioxidants
• oxidative stress
• prooxidant/antioxidant homeostasis
• men
• training

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Katarzyna Kempa for her assistance in conducting laboratory analyses.

Authors’ contributions

S.B. designed and conducted the study, analysed of data and reviewed the literature. M.P. helped to revise the manuscript. M.R. analysed the data. E-S.K. designed and conducted the study, analysed of data and wrote the manuscript. All authors read the manuscript and agreed to its publication.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data used to support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon request.

Ethics approval and consent to participate

The study was conducted in accordance with the guidelines set in the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the Ethics Committee of the Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education in Katowice, Poland (certificate no. 11/2019).