The Consumption of Yellow Watermelon-plantain Juice before Anaerobic Exercise Improves Blood Glucose and Suppresses Oxidative Stress Formation in Rats

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Food supplementation before exercise could supply glucose for energy boosters and enhanced performance. Food supplements with potent antioxidant activity could also help ease oxidative stress formation during exercise. AIM: This study aims to investigate yellow watermelon-plantain juice administration before anaerobic exercise on blood glucose level and its protective effect on markers of oxidative stress formation that is malondialdehyde (MDA) serum level. METHODS: Thirty-five male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into five different groups in which received different treatments. Anaerobic exercise in this study was set as a swimming test for 3 min. Blood glucose levels were examined as a baseline, 13 min after juice supplementation, and after the exercise test. RESULTS: P2 groups have the highest blood glucose level before and after exercise (111.86 mg/dl and 100.52 mg/ dl, respectively). Mda levels after exercise differ significantly between groups (p < 0.05) with the negative control group having the highest level of Mda (7.68 nmol/ml) and P2 having the lowest level among treatment groups (1.8 nmol/ml). CONCLUSION: It can be concluded that yellow watermelonplantain juice supplementation before anaerobic exercise is an effective source of energy due to its rapid glucose availability in the serum. The antioxidant content in yellow watermelon-plantain juice could also suppress MDA serum level after exercise.