Nutrients boosted performance and recovery
- Royal jelly and CoQ10 improve exercise
In this first controlled study of royal jelly and exercise, 20 elite-level swimmers took a placebo or 400 mg of royal jelly plus 60 mg of CoQ10 per day. Participants took a high-intensity interval swimming exercise test before and after the 10-day treatment period.
Swimmers taking royal jelly and CoQ10 completed the swimming test faster than placebo, and faster than before treatment. Using a standard swimming-performance scale developed by the International Swimming Federation, total performance scores increased to 623 from 594.6 for royal jelly-CoQ10 while moving to 588.6 from 588.2 for placebo.
Discussing the findings, doctors said royal jelly and CoQ10 contain medium-chain fatty acids, amino acids, proteins, flavonoids, and phenolic compounds that reduced oxidative stress and muscle damage through their enzymatic and antioxidant actions.
REFERENCE: JISSN; 2022, VOL. 19, NO. 1, ARTICLE NO. 2086015
- Quercetin eased muscle stiffness
After age 50, muscle mass and function begin a gradual annual decline, with symptoms including chronic stiffness, in a condition called sarcopenia. In this study, 48 adult men and women, aged 50 to 74, took low-intensity resistance training along with a placebo, or 200 mg or 500 mg of quercetin per day. The exercise routine targeted the thigh muscles.
After 24 weeks, muscle mass and lean body mass were similar in all three groups, but stiffness in the thigh—the vastus lateralis, the largest muscle of the quadriceps—was significantly less for either dose of quercetin compared to placebo. Doctors concluded low-dose quercetin in low-intensity resistance training effectively reduces muscle stiffness.
Reference: Frontiers in Nutrition; 2022, Article No. 912217
