Acute Garlic Supplementation Ameliorates Exercise-Induced Lipid Peroxidation in Sedentary Individuals

The aim of study was to determine the acute effect of garlic supplementation on total antioxidant capacity and some markers of exercise-induced oxidative stress in sedentary individuals.

In a randomized and double-blinded study, 10 sedentary males (age 22.9 ± 1.9 years, weight 70.5 ± 8.7 kg, BMI 22.9 ± 2 kg/m2, and fat 14.2 ± 4.6 %) performed two sessions of aerobic exercise after either placebo (1000 lg starch) or garlic consumption (1000 mg allicin). Aerobic exercise consisted of 30 minutes running at the intensity of %75-80 of maximal heart rate. Three blood samples were taken before supplementation, 4 hours after supplementation and immediately after exercise and were analyzed for total antioxidant capacity (TAC), Malondialdehyde (MDA), and creatine kinase (CK) levels. Repeated measures of ANOVA and Bonferroni post hoc test were applied to analyze the data. The significance level was set at 0.05.

Results showed that garlic supplementation had no significant effect on resting levels of variables (Pvalue > 0.05). Aerobic exercise significantly decreased TAC and increased serum levels of MDA and CK levels (Pvalue < 0.05) but the rise of MDA level following exercise was significantly diminished at garlic condition (P < 0.05).

Based on the findings of the present study, acute garlic supplementation had no effect on exercise-induced cell damage but may ameliorate exercise-induced lipid peroxidation.