Supplementing with a turmeric extract marketed by Nutriventia as TurmXtra was linked to significant reductions in delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) after exercise, according to a study published in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
 
In the study, researchers administered 250 mg of the ingredient during daily to half of the 30 recreationally active participants, with the other half receiving a placebo for a total of 33 days. Subjects began to perform squat cycles on day 29 in order to induce DOMS.  
 
The primary endpoint of the study was measuring changes in pain intensity measured by the visual analog scale (VAS) at the end of study treatment, at least 96 hours after exercise, compared to immediately after exercise. VAS scores indicated that the subjects in the supplement group experienced significantly less pain after exercise than the placebo. Additionally, serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), a measure of tissue damage, was significantly lower in the supplementation group compared to those who took the placebo.
 
The researchers also had the participants take part in a test adapted from the Hooper and MacKinnon questionnaire to evaluate cumulative scores of fatigue, mood, general muscle soreness, sleep quality, and stress, which demonstrated overall improvements in well-being in those who took turmeric compared to the placebo group.
 
The authors concluded that taking TurmXtra before and after exercise may significantly reduce subjective perceptions of muscle soreness and serum LDH activity, and elevate the psychological well-being in recreationally active adults.
 
“As sports nutrition continues to expand into recovery, supplements such as TurmXtra can be critical for consumers to ensure they remain on track to achieve their fitness and competition goals,” said Anand Godbole, vice president of marketing for Nutriventia.