How watercress can help prevent damage during exercise?
How does our body react to exercise and how can our diet help?
Researchers are increasingly interested in the relationship between diet, naturally occurring antioxidants and exercise because intense physical activity can temporarily increase the production of free radicals in the body. These are natural by-products of metabolism, but at high levels they can contribute to what scientists refer to as “oxidative stress”, evidenced by increases in lipid peroxidation, glutathione oxidation and oxidative protein damage. Foods that contain antioxidants — such as certain fruits, vegetables and leafy greens — are of interest because they may influence how the body responds to this exercise-related stress. By studying dietary components in controlled settings, researchers aim to better understand how different foods interact with the body during physical activity and how they may support overall physiological balance as part of a varied and balanced diet.
One such study was carried out in 2012, when Dr Fogarty and colleagues explored how watercress consumption might influence certain biological markers during intense exercise. The study used a sample of ten ‘healthy’ males who were required to consume 85g of watercress daily for 8 weeks. The participants were then asked to engage in high intensity exercise on a treadmill. This was compared to a control group with the same programme of activity where no watercress was to be consumed, as well as a further group who consumed watercress acutely two hours before exercise.
The results found that exercise increases DNA damage, as well as increasing lipid peroxidation, whilst watercress consumed over 8 weeks or for 2 hrs before exercise reduced these biological markers. The authors suggested that further research is needed to understand these findings and the potential role of foods like watercress within overall dietary patterns, but this small scale study does support the potential for the powerful protective effects of this leafy green vegetable. Commenting on his previous research and future expectations for watercress, Dr Fogarty said:
“we all know that regular exercise is extremely beneficial for our overall health. what we often forget is that each specific workout can actually be quite stressful. the type of stress that exercise causes is actually quite similar to the other types of stresses our bodies are exposed to, such as environmental pollution, cigarette smoke and even sun light. the role of foods such as watercress in our diet is therefore of extreme importance, as we’ve shown it to help dampen the body’s response to stress. so, regardless if you run marathons, swim the channel or simply walk slightly quicker because you’re late for the train to work, watercress can help your body deal with the daily stresses it is exposed to.”
Fogarty continued:
“the next stage of our research is to find out if this interesting food can also help improve exercise performance. there are so many weird and wonderful chemicals found in this plant that we’ve only touched the tip of the iceberg in regards to what it can do for overall human performance, not just for the Chris Froomes of this world.”
Independent peer reviewed research papers
Acute and chronic watercress supplementation attenuates exercise-induced peripheral mononuclear cell DNA damage and lipid peroxidation
Mark C Fogarty, Ciara M Hughes, George Burke, John C Brown and Gareth W Davison
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Watch our video to find out about the total body benefits of watercress.