Oral chronic sulforaphane effects on heavy resistance exercise: Implications for inflammatory and muscle damage parameters in young practitioners

• Published in: Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.) Los Angeles County, Calif.), 2021-10, Vol.90, p.111266-111266, Article 111266
• Main Authors: Sato, Koji, Kihara, Hinata, Kumazawa, Yoka, Tatara, Koki
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aerobics; Antioxidants; Athletes; Biomarkers; Body weight; Broccoli; Creatine; Creatine kinase; Cytokine; Cytokines; Damage prevention; Dehydrogenases; Dietary supplements; Enzymes; Exercise; Immunoassay; Inflammation; Ingestion; Interleukin 6; Kinases; Muscles; Musculoskeletal system; Oxidative stress; Parameters; Physical fitness; Plasma; Plasma levels; Strength training; Sulforaphane; Supplementation; Tissue damage
• ISSN: 0899-9007; 1873-1244
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nut.2021.111266

Sulforaphane is a phytochemical that is commonly found in broccoli and broccoli sprouts. However, whether chronic sulforaphane ingestion suppresses heavy resistance exercise–induced muscle damage parameters in humans remains unknown. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of oral chronic sulforaphane ingestion on heavy resistance exercise–induced muscle damage parameters. The study had a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over design. Ten healthy young men (age: 22.0 ± 0.3 y; body weight: 62.6 ± 2.4 kg; height: 171.0 ± 0.1 cm) were administered placebo or sulforaphane (30 mg/d) for 4 wk at the first trial, then after a 4-wk washout period, the participants were administered the opposite treatment for 4 wk at the second trial. The participants were subjected to heavy resistance exercise (bench press, 85% of one-repetition maximum for three times with eight repetitions) after each administration, and blood samples were collected before and at 30 min and 24 h after each exercise session. In this study, 4 wk of sulforaphane intake decreased plasma levels of creatine kinase, especially creatine kinase levels from 30 min to 24 h and baseline to 24 h. Moreover, the change in interleukin-6 levels significantly decreased from baseline to 30 min on prolonged intake of sulforaphane. Together, these findings suggest that the oral chronic intake of sulforaphane suppressed the heavy resistance exercise–induced increase in muscle damage parameter and expression of inflammatory cytokines. The chronic use of sulforaphane may be a novel therapeutic candidate for the prevention of muscle damage in athletes training daily with high-intensity exercise. •Sulforaphane did not affect the weight, height, and amount of fat in participants.•Sulforaphane attenuated the exercise-induced increase in creatin kinase and interleukin-6.•Sulforaphane may suppress exercise-induced muscle damage.