Evaluation of curcumin intake in reducing exercise-induced muscle damage in athletes: a systematic review
Daniel Vasile PR, et al
Published in Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition
Methodology
Systematic review of randomized and controlled trials of oral curcumin supplementation in athletes and physically active adults, evaluating muscle soreness scales, inflammatory and muscle damage biomarkers and performance recovery.
Key Findings
Across included trials, curcumin supplementation reduced subjective muscle soreness and markers of exercise-induced muscle damage such as creatine kinase, with faster recovery of strength after eccentric exercise in several studies.
Conclusions
Curcumin shows significant potential to relieve muscle-related symptoms, especially DOMS arising from eccentric exercise.
Limitations
Heterogeneous formulations, doses and supplementation windows; small trial sizes; narrative synthesis rather than quantitative pooling for most outcomes.
Supplements Studied
Curcumin demonstrates a significant potential to relieve muscle-related symptoms, especially delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) that arises from eccentric exercises.
Related Health Concerns
Study Details
Access Study
This information is for educational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any supplement regimen.