Preventive Effects of Spirulina platensis on Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage, Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in Taekwondo Athletes: A Randomized Cross-Over Trial

Background: Spirulina is an interesting nutritional supplement that has attracted a lot of attention. The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of spirulina supplementation on oxidative stress, inflammatory factors and plasma markers of exercise-induced muscle damage in male taekwondo athletes. Methods: A total of 18 trained taekwondo male athletes took part in a double-blind, placebocontrolled crossover study. Each subject received either spirulina (8 g/day) or placebo for 3 weeks. The study had two periods separated by a 14-day washout. Blood samples were taken after finishing a training checklist program (4 times in total). Results: There were no significant carryover effects; therefore, the two-week washout period was adequate. Compared to the placebo, a dose of 8 g / d of spirulina supplement over 21 days resulted in a significant decrease in plasma levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK) and interleukin 6 (IL6) and a significant increase in plasma levels of total antioxidant capacity (TAC), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) (p 0.05). There was not any statistically significant change in the plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) (p 0.05). Conclusion: Due to the improvement of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory conditions as well as appropriate protein content, spirulina supplementation can produce a preventive effect on exercise-induced muscle damage in taekwondo athletes.