Daily consumption of almonds increases recovery molecule and helps post-workout recovery: study

According to a new study, daily consumption of almonds has been found to aid in metabolic recovery after strenuous exercise by increasing beneficial fat by 69 percent. Researchers concluded that daily consumption of almonds leads to a change in metabolism, down-regulating inflammation and oxidative stress from exercise, and allowing the body to recover faster.

"We conclude that almonds provide a unique and complex blend of nutrients and polyphenols that may support metabolic recovery after strenuous exercise," said corresponding author Dr. David C. Nieman, North Carolina campus research professor. The results were published in Frontiers in Nutrition.

"Almonds are high in protein, healthy fats, vitamin E, minerals and fiber.And the brown skin of almonds contains polyphenols, which end up in the colon and help control inflammation and oxidative stress," Nieman said.

According to the study, a randomized controlled trial showed that male and female participants ate 57g of almonds daily for a month, getting more of the beneficial fat 12,13-DiHOME (12,13-dihydroxy-9Z-octadecenoic acid) in the blood immediately after a intense physical exertion than controls. This molecule, called oxylipin, an oxidized fat, is synthesized by brown adipose tissue from linoleic acid and has positive effects on metabolic health and energy regulation, according to the study more favorable blood 12,13-DiHOME rcice than control volunteers.

"They also reported less fatigue and tension, better rear leg strength, and less muscle damage after exercise than control volunteers," Nieman said.

Immediately after exercise, the concentration of the beneficial 12,13-DiHOME in the blood plasma of the participants in the tonsil group was 69% higher than that of the participants in the control group. 12,13-DiHOME is known to increase fatty acid transport and uptake by skeletal muscle, with the overall effect of promoting post-workout metabolic recovery.

The reverse pattern was found for another oxylipin, the mildly toxic 9,10-dihydroxy-12-octadecenoic acid (9,10-diHOME), which was 40 percent higher in the blood of the control group than in the tonsil immediately after exercise Group. Unlike 12,13-DiHOME, 9,10-diHOME has been shown to have negative effects on overall health and the body's recovery after exercise.

According to the study, the clinical trial involved 38 men and 26 women between the ages of 30 and 65 who did not participate in regular weight training.About half were randomly assigned to the almond diet group and the other half to the control group, which ate a daily granola bar with the same calories.

The researchers took blood and urine samples before and after the four weeks of supplementation. Performance measurements included a 30-second Wingate anaerobic test, a 50-meter loop test, and strength exercises from the vertical jump, bench press, and hind legs, according to the study.

According to the study, further blood and urine samples were taken immediately after this 90-minute "eccentric exercise" and daily for four days afterwards. After each blood draw, participants completed a profile of mood states (POMS) questionnaire to quantify their mental state and rated their delayed-onset muscle soreness, d 10-interval scale, according to the study.

As expected, the 90-minute exercise resulted in increases in volunteers' self-reported feelings of muscle damage and soreness, as well as increases in POMS scores, indicating decreased strength and increased self-reported fatigue, anxiety, and depression. said the study. Exercise also resulted in transiently elevated blood levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and MCP-1, consistent with minor muscle damage. However, these cytokine changes were the same in the almond and granola bar groups, according to the study. For those who exercise regularly, eating almonds daily can be the ideal New Year's resolution.