Effects of cocoa flavanols on sports performance: oxidative stress and recovery
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8394841Keywords:
Cocoa, flavanols, oxidative stress, polyphenols, recoveryAbstract
Cocoa and cocoa-based products show positive effects on cardiovascular health thanks to the polyphenolic properties they contain. In this way, its use as an ergogenic nutritional support in the field of sport has created a curiosity about whether it will show similar effects. Oxidative stress is a physiological phenomenon that occurs with the natural functioning of the body. Although it is a natural process, an unnecessary increase in oxidative stress can cause disruption of the body's functioning. Therefore, it can cause changes in the immune system, predisposing to various diseases and also negatively affecting exercise performance. Exercise-induced muscle damage can lead to an increase in oxidative stress, muscle soreness, inflammation and impaired muscle function. Thanks to the flavanoids in cocoa, the body's antioxidant capacity can be increased. Due to this effect, exercise-induced oxidative stress may be reduced by the use of cocoa flavanols and may accelerate the recovery process. The aim of this review article is to investigate the effects of cocoa and cocoa-based products on exercise performance through their polyphenol content on oxidative stress and recovery processes.
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