The effect of Phoenix Dactylifera pollen supplementation on eccentric resistance exercise-induced delayed-onset muscle soreness in female athletes

This study aimed to investigate the effects of Phoneix Dactylifera pollen on indices of delayed-onset muscle soreness following a bout of eccentric resistance exercise.

A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial

Thirty-six female athletes have participated. Participants were equally divided into groups including 100 mg of PD, 200 mg of PD and 100 mg of starch as placebo. The participant has a 10-day supplement consumption. After that, a bout of leg curl performed. The blood samples were collected before and several times after exercise (1, 2, 3, 4, day).

The inclusion criteria were: complete skeletal and neuromuscular health, no presence of any serious medical conditions including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, hypertension, hepatic diseases, renal diseases and respiratory disorders, no history of food allergies, and no consumption of antioxidants or anti-inflammatory supplements. Exclusion criteria included incidence of any chronic or acute disease during the study, non-compliance with the study protocol, use of tobacco products, alcohol consumption, recent surgery or illness, and use of any medicine or dietary supplements such as antioxidant supplement (vitamin C, E,.) and anti-inflammatory drugs (aspirin subgroups) within three months prior to the study.

Intervention group 1: 100 mg capsules of date pollen were consumed for 10 days and one capsule daily. Intervention group 2: 200 mg capsules of date pollen were consumed for 10 days and one capsule daily. Control group: 200 mg capsules of starch as placebo, consumed for 10 days and one capsule daily.

Lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, lymphocytes, neutrophils, thigh circumference, angel of leg extension and Sargent jumping

Computerization was performed using a computer and a simple randomization method. The method used by the computer was that the computer selects random numbers between 0 and 1. Values less than 0.33 in the control group and values between 0.33 and 0.66 in the first intervention group (100 mg dose supplement) and values greater than 0.66 were in the second intervention group (200 mg dose supplement). Thus, 36 subjects were randomly divided into three groups.

The participants were identified using the codes instead of their actual names. A third party was asked to classify the participants randomly, using the (labelled) codes. Study groups had codes instead of names. The laboratory was uninformed from name of groups and only used the codes. Groups codes were used for statistical analysis. The supplement and placebo participants were unaware of their own group label.

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