Micronutrients & recovery
Curcumin supplementation (150–1500 mg/day) administered before and/or after exercise reduces exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD), subjective muscle pain, and inflammatory markers (CK, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8) in physically active populations.
If you engage in intense exercise, particularly eccentric movements, taking 150-1500mg of curcumin (preferably a bioavailable form) before and after your workout can help reduce muscle soreness and inflammation. Most studies show benefits when taken for several days surrounding the exercise event. It is generally safe for humans even at higher doses.
The use of curcumin reduces the subjective perception of the intensity of muscle pain; reduces muscle damage through the decrease of creatine kinase (CK); increases muscle performance; has an anti-inflammatory effect by modulating the pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-8; and may have a slight antioxidant effect.
Why this rating
Based on a systematic review of 11 randomized controlled trials with generally good to excellent methodological quality.
Source
Modulation of Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage, Inflammation, and Oxidative Markers by Curcumin Supplementation in a Physically Active Population: A Systematic Review
Diego Fernández‐Lázaro et al. · Nutrients · 2020
DOI 10.3390/nu12020501
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