Abstract
BackgroundRiboflavin is known to protect tissue from oxidative damage but, to our knowledge, has not been explored as a means to control exercise-related muscle soreness. This study investigated whether acute ingestion of riboflavin reduces muscle pain and soreness during and after completion of a 161-km ultramarathon and improves functional recovery after the event.MethodsIn this double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, participants of the 2016 161-km Western States Endurance Run were assigned to receive a riboflavin or placebo capsule shortly before the race start and when reaching 90 km. Capsules contained either 100 mg of riboflavin or 95 mg of maltodextrin and 5 mg of 10% ß-carotene. Subjects provided muscle pain and soreness ratings before, during, and immediately after the race and for the 10 subsequent days. Subjects also completed 400-m runs at maximum speed on days 3, 5, and 10 after the race.ResultsFor the 32 (18 in the riboflavin group, 14 in the placebo group) race finishers completing the study, muscle pain and soreness ratings during and immediately after the race were found to be significantly lower (p = .043) for the riboflavin group. Analysis of the 400-m run times also showed significantly faster (p < .05) times for the riboflavin group than the placebo group at post-race days 3 and 5. Both groups showed that muscle pain and soreness had returned to pre-race levels by 5 days after the race and that 400-m run times had returned to pre-race performance levels by 10 days after the race.ConclusionsThis preliminary work suggests that riboflavin supplementation before and during prolonged running might reduce muscle pain and soreness during and at the completion of the exercise and may enhance early functional recovery after the exercise.
Highlights
Riboflavin is known to protect tissue from oxidative damage but, to our knowledge, has not been explored as a means to control exercise-related muscle soreness
Since the inflammatory response and free radical production with oxidative stress are likely involved in the mechanism leading to exercise-related muscle soreness, it seems plausible that supplementation with substances having anti-inflammatory or antioxidant properties may be an effective means of controlling such soreness
One subject in the placebo group failed to receive the capsule at 90 km, and two subjects in the riboflavin group reported emesis within an hour after taking the capsule at 90 km
Summary
Riboflavin is known to protect tissue from oxidative damage but, to our knowledge, has not been explored as a means to control exercise-related muscle soreness. The process begins with mechanical damage to the muscle and connective tissue; is followed by inflammation, swelling, and the production of free radicals; and culminates in the pain and soreness felt during and after exercise [9,10,11]. Since the inflammatory response and free radical production with oxidative stress are likely involved in the mechanism leading to exercise-related muscle soreness, it seems plausible that supplementation with substances having anti-inflammatory or antioxidant properties may be an effective means of controlling such soreness. 3 weeks of supplementation with quercetin, another substance with known antioxidant properties, was not found to alter antioxidant capacity or oxidative damage, inflammation, muscle damage, or post-race muscle soreness from a 161-km ultramarathon [6, 15]
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