Effects of a Nutritive Administration of Carbohydrates and Protein by Foodstuffs on Skeletal Muscle Inflammation and Damage After Acute Endurance Exercise

Abstract

Ingestion of proteins and carbohydrates after exercise is believed to result in an enhancement of regeneration and physical performance after training. Mostly these nutrients are ingested by athletes via whey protein and glucose based shakes. In this study protein and carbohydrates were administrated via a meal. Effects of this meal delivered carbohydrate and protein ingestion directly after acute endurance exercise on skeletal muscle inflammation and damage were investigated. Therefore 16 subjects performed a 10km run at 80% of the individual anaerobic threshold. After exercise subjects ingested nothing (control), white bread (carbohydrates), or white bread and sour milk cheese (carbohydrates and protein). All 16 subjects were exposed to these nutritive interventions after exercise in a cross over design. Serum glucose, serum insulin, serum Creatine Kinase (CK) as a muscle damage marker and the serum levels of the inflammation markers Interleukine 6 (IL 6) and 10 (IL 10), macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF α) were determined. The strongest decrease of blood glucose after exercise was observed in the protein/ carbohydrate group. Increase of serum CK measured 24 hours after exercise was significantly reduced in the protein/carbohydrate group. In the protein/carbohydrate group exercise induced increase of serum IL 6 and MIF was reduced whereas IL 10 was increased. In this group exercise increased TNF α concentrations in the serum could be antagonized by protein/carbohydrate ingestion. Our data indicate that uptake of protein and carbohydrate by food antagonizes the induction of serum CK, a marker of skeletal muscle damage and results in the reduction of pro inflammatory and an increase of anti-inflammatory markers in the serum. Therefore we conclude that a combined uptake of protein and carbohydrates also ingested by suitable food may reduce skeletal muscle damage after endurance exercise.