Muscle Damage

    Last Updated: October 13, 2024

    Muscle damage refers to the breaking of muscle tissue during exercise, and is estimated by measuring some biomarkers in the blood released by damaged muscle (such as creatine kinase). Reducing muscle damage may alleviate soreness from exercise.

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    1,788 participants in 36 trials

    Examine Database: Muscle Damage

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    Examine Database References

    1. MSM - Barmaki S, Bohlooli S, Khoshkhahesh F, Nakhostin-Roohi BEffect of methylsulfonylmethane supplementation on exercise - Induced muscle damage and total antioxidant capacityJ Sports Med Phys Fitness.(2012 Apr)
    2. Creatine - Deminice R, Rosa FT, Franco GS, Jordao AA, de Freitas ECEffects of creatine supplementation on oxidative stress and inflammatory markers after repeated-sprint exercise in humansNutrition.(2013 Sep)
    3. L-Carnitine - Spiering BA, Kraemer WJ, Hatfield DL, Vingren JL, Fragala MS, Ho JY, Thomas GA, Häkkinen K, Volek JSEffects of L-carnitine L-tartrate supplementation on muscle oxygenation responses to resistance exerciseJ Strength Cond Res.(2008 Jul)
    4. HMB - Hoffman JR, Cooper J, Wendell M, Im J, Kang JEffects of beta-hydroxy beta-methylbutyrate on power performance and indices of muscle damage and stress during high-intensity trainingJ Strength Cond Res.(2004 Nov)
    5. L-Carnitine - Volek JS, Kraemer WJ, Rubin MR, Gómez AL, Ratamess NA, Gaynor PL-Carnitine L-tartrate supplementation favorably affects markers of recovery from exercise stressAm J Physiol Endocrinol Metab.(2002 Feb)
    6. Panax Ginseng (Korean Ginseng) - Jung HL, Kwak HE, Kim SS, Kim YC, Lee CD, Byurn HK, Kang HYEffects of Panax ginseng supplementation on muscle damage and inflammation after uphill treadmill running in humansAm J Chin Med.(2011)
    7. Melatonin - Ochoa JJ, Díaz-Castro J, Kajarabille N, García C, Guisado IM, De Teresa C, Guisado RMelatonin supplementation ameliorates oxidative stress and inflammatory signaling induced by strenuous exercise in adult human malesJ Pineal Res.(2011 Nov)
    8. Vitamin C - Bryer SC, Goldfarb AHEffect of high dose vitamin C supplementation on muscle soreness, damage, function, and oxidative stress to eccentric exerciseInt J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab.(2006 Jun)
    9. L-Carnitine - Ho JY, Kraemer WJ, Volek JS, Fragala MS, Thomas GA, Dunn-Lewis C, Coday M, Häkkinen K, Maresh CMl-Carnitine l-tartrate supplementation favorably affects biochemical markers of recovery from physical exertion in middle-aged men and womenMetabolism.(2010 Aug)
    10. Creatine - Santos RV, Bassit RA, Caperuto EC, Costa Rosa LFThe effect of creatine supplementation upon inflammatory and muscle soreness markers after a 30km raceLife Sci.(2004 Sep 3)
    11. Anatabine - Jenkins ND, Housh TJ, Johnson GO, Traylor DA, Bergstrom HC, Cochrane KC, Lewis RW Jr, Schmidt RJ, Cramer JTThe effects of anatabine on non-invasive indicators of muscle damage: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover studyJ Int Soc Sports Nutr.(2013 Jul 22)
    12. Phosphatidylserine - Kingsley MI, Kilduff LP, McEneny J, Dietzig RE, Benton DPhosphatidylserine supplementation and recovery following downhill runningMed Sci Sports Exerc.(2006 Sep)
    13. Creatine - Bassit RA, Pinheiro CH, Vitzel KF, Sproesser AJ, Silveira LR, Curi REffect of short-term creatine supplementation on markers of skeletal muscle damage after strenuous contractile activityEur J Appl Physiol.(2010 Mar)
    14. Creatine - Rawson ES, Conti MP, Miles MPCreatine supplementation does not reduce muscle damage or enhance recovery from resistance exerciseJ Strength Cond Res.(2007 Nov)
    15. HMB - Wilson JM, Lowery RP, Joy JM, Walters JA, Baier SM, Fuller JC, Stout JR, Norton LE, Sikorski EM, Wilson SM, Duncan NM, Zanchi NE, Rathmacher Jβ-Hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate free acid reduces markers of exercise-induced muscle damage and improves recovery in resistance-trained menBr J Nutr.(2013 Jan 3)
    16. Vitamin C - Theodorou AA, Nikolaidis MG, Paschalis V, Koutsias S, Panayiotou G, Fatouros IG, Koutedakis Y, Jamurtas AZNo effect of antioxidant supplementation on muscle performance and blood redox status adaptations to eccentric trainingAm J Clin Nutr.(2011 Jun)
    17. Astaxanthin - Spiller GA, Dewell ASafety of an astaxanthin-rich Haematococcus pluvialis algal extract: a randomized clinical trialJ Med Food.(2003 Spring)
    18. Creatine - Cooke MB, Rybalka E, Williams AD, Cribb PJ, Hayes ACreatine supplementation enhances muscle force recovery after eccentrically-induced muscle damage in healthy individualsJ Int Soc Sports Nutr.(2009 Jun 2)
    19. Vitamin E - Rokitzki L, Logemann E, Huber G, Keck E, Keul Jalpha-Tocopherol supplementation in racing cyclists during extreme endurance trainingInt J Sport Nutr.(1994 Sep)
    20. Glutamine - Bassini-Cameron A, Monteiro A, Gomes A, Werneck-de-Castro JP, Cameron LGlutamine protects against increases in blood ammonia in football players in an exercise intensity-dependent wayBr J Sports Med.(2008 Apr)
    21. Vitamin C - Thompson D, Bailey DM, Hill J, Hurst T, Powell JR, Williams CProlonged vitamin C supplementation and recovery from eccentric exerciseEur J Appl Physiol.(2004 Jun)
    22. Ashwagandha - Wankhede S, Langade D, Joshi K, Sinha SR, Bhattacharyya SExamining the effect of Withania somnifera supplementation on muscle strength and recovery: a randomized controlled trialJ Int Soc Sports Nutr.(2015 Nov 25)
    23. Taurine - Ra SG, Miyazaki T, Ishikura K, Nagayama H, Suzuki T, Maeda S, Ito M, Matsuzaki Y, Ohmori HAdditional effects of taurine on the benefits of BCAA intake for the delayed-onset muscle soreness and muscle damage induced by high-intensity eccentric exerciseAdv Exp Med Biol.(2013)
    24. Coenzyme Q10 - Kon M, Tanabe K, Akimoto T, Kimura F, Tanimura Y, Shimizu K, Okamoto T, Kono IReducing exercise-induced muscular injury in kendo athletes with supplementation of coenzyme Q10Br J Nutr.(2008 Oct)
    25. Rhodiola Rosea - Abidov M, Grachev S, Seifulla RD, Ziegenfuss TNExtract of Rhodiola rosea radix reduces the level of C-reactive protein and creatinine kinase in the bloodBull Exp Biol Med.(2004 Jul)
    26. L-Carnitine - Kraemer WJ, Volek JS, French DN, Rubin MR, Sharman MJ, Gómez AL, Ratamess NA, Newton RU, Jemiolo B, Craig BW, Häkkinen KThe effects of L-carnitine L-tartrate supplementation on hormonal responses to resistance exercise and recoveryJ Strength Cond Res.(2003 Aug)
    27. Astaxanthin - Djordjevic B, Baralic I, Kotur-Stevuljevic J, Stefanovic A, Ivanisevic J, Radivojevic N, Andjelkovic M, Dikic NEffect of astaxanthin supplementation on muscle damage and oxidative stress markers in elite young soccer playersJ Sports Med Phys Fitness.(2012 Aug)
    28. HMB - Gallagher PM, Carrithers JA, Godard MP, Schulze KE, Trappe SWBeta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate ingestion, Part I: effects on strength and fat free massMed Sci Sports Exerc.(2000 Dec)
    29. Blueberry - McLeay Y, Barnes MJ, Mundel T, Hurst SM, Hurst RD, Stannard SREffect of New Zealand blueberry consumption on recovery from eccentric exercise-induced muscle damageJ Int Soc Sports Nutr.(2012 Jul 11)
    30. Rhodiola Rosea - Parisi A, Tranchita E, Duranti G, Ciminelli E, Quaranta F, Ceci R, Cerulli C, Borrione P, Sabatini SEffects of chronic Rhodiola Rosea supplementation on sport performance and antioxidant capacity in trained male: preliminary resultsJ Sports Med Phys Fitness.(2010 Mar)
    31. Rhodiola Rosea - Lin C, et alRhodiola rosea does not reduce in vivo inflammatory activity after continuous endurance exerciseSCI SPORT.()
    32. Fish Oil - Bloomer RJ, Larson DE, Fisher-Wellman KH, Galpin AJ, Schilling BKEffect of eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acid on resting and exercise-induced inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers: a randomized, placebo controlled, cross-over studyLipids Health Dis.(2009 Aug 19)
    33. Vitamin C - Nakhostin-Roohi B, Babaei P, Rahmani-Nia F, Bohlooli SEffect of vitamin C supplementation on lipid peroxidation, muscle damage and inflammation after 30-min exercise at 75% VO2maxJ Sports Med Phys Fitness.(2008 Jun)
    34. HMB - Rahimi MH, Mohammadi H, Eshaghi H, Askari G, Miraghajani MThe Effects of Beta-Hydroxy-Beta-Methylbutyrate Supplementation on Recovery Following Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.J Am Coll Nutr.(2018)
    35. Creatine - Kenji Doma, Akhilesh Kumar Ramachandran, Daniel Boullosa, Jonathan ConnorThe Paradoxical Effect of Creatine Monohydrate on Muscle Damage Markers: A Systematic Review and Meta-AnalysisSports Med.(2022 Feb 26)
    36. Creatine - Bethany Northeast, Tom CliffordThe Effect of Creatine Supplementation on Markers of Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Human Intervention TrialsInt J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab.(2021 Feb 24)