Abstract
In red clover (Trifolium pratense L.; RC) the main compound is isoflavones, which are selective estrogen receptor modulators for maintaining female health. Isoflavones exert antifatigue effects during exercise in high-temperature environments. This study aimed to investigate the effect of RC supplementation on gut microbiota composition to determine whether it improves intestinal barrier function and exercise performance. Female ICR mice were divided into four groups (n = 8 per group) and orally administered RC once daily for 6 weeks at 0 (vehicle), 308 (RC-1X), 615 (RC-2X), and 1,538 (RC-5X) mg/kg. RC supplementation decreased the fat mass and increased exhaustive swimming time, grip strength, and muscle glycogen in female mice. In the RC supplementation group, serum levels of lactate, ammonia, and creatine kinase decreased after swimming. The estradiol and progesterone levels were higher in the RC group than in the vehicle group. Regarding gut microbiota composition, the RC-2X group may increase intestinal health related to the microorganisms Pseudobutyrivibrio and Parabacteroide. Thus, the use of RC supplements as nutraceuticals could have positive effects on athletes' gut and overall health.
Highlights
Red clover (Trifolium pratense L.; RC) is one of the most important leguminous plants of temperate zones in Europe and Asia, and it is a short-term perennial herb [1, 2]
The 1X mouse dose (308 mg/kg) we used was converted from a human-equivalent dose (HED) based on body surface area according to the US Food and Drug Administration formula: Assuming a human weight of 60 kg, the HED is 1,500/60 = 25 × 12.3 = 308 mg/kg; the conversion coefficient 12.3 is used to account for differences in body surface area between mice and humans, as previously described
The result shows that a 6-week RC supplementation increased the free fat mass (FFM) in mice lower bodies and decreased their fat mass (FM)
Summary
Red clover (Trifolium pratense L.; RC) is one of the most important leguminous plants of temperate zones in Europe and Asia, and it is a short-term perennial herb [1, 2]. RC can contribute to postprandial blood glucose level reduction, improves hypoglycemia, is an antioxidant, and has effects against obesity in a rat model [7] and osteoporosis in postmenopausal women [3, 7,8,9,10]
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