Plant-based nutraceuticals are categorised as nutritional supplements which contain\na high concentration of antioxidants with the intention of minimising the deleterious effect of\nan oxidative insult. The primary aim of this novel study was to determine the effect of exogenous\nbarley-wheat grass juice (BWJ) on indices of exercise-induced oxidative stress. Ten (n = 10) apparently\nhealthy, recreationally trained (Ã?â?¢VO2max 55.9 Ã?± 6 mLÃ?·kgâË?â??1Ã?·minâË?â??1), males (age 22 Ã?± 2 years, height\n181 Ã?± 6 cm, weight 87 Ã?± 8 kg, body mass index (BMI) 27 Ã?± 1) volunteered to participant in the study.\nIn a randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled crossover design, participants consumed either\na placebo, a low dose (70 mL per day) of BWJ, or a high dose (140 mL per day) of BWJ for 7-days.\nExperimental exercise consisted of a standard maximal oxygen uptake test until volitional fatigue.\nDNA damage, as assessed by the single cell gel electrophoresis comet assay, increased following\nhigh intensity exercise across all groups (time Ã?â?? group; p < 0.05, Effect Size (ES) = 0.7), although\nthere was no selective difference for intervention (p > 0.05). There was a main effect for time in\nlipid hydroperoxide concentration (pooled-group data, pre- vs. post-exercise, p < 0.05, ES = 0.2)\ndemonstrating that exercise increased lipid peroxidation. Superoxide dismutase activity (SOD)\nincreased by 44.7% following BWJ supplementation (pooled group data, pre- vs. post). The ascorbyl\nfree radical (p < 0.05, ES = 0.26), Ã?±-tocopherol (p = 0.007, ES = 0.2), and xanthophyll (p = 0.000,\nES = 0.5), increased between the pre- and post-exercise time points indicating a main effect of time.\nThis study illustrates that a 7-day supplementation period of a novel plant-derived nutraceutical\nproduct is insufficient at attenuating exercise-induced oxidative damage. It is possible that with\na larger sample size, and longer supplementation period, this novel plant-based nutraceutical could\npotentially offer effective prophylaxis against exercise-induced oxidative stress; as such, this justifies\nthe need for further research.
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