Fuel for Victory: What Athletes Crave After a Workout to Boost Performance and Speed Up Recovery

Consuming almonds has been shown to improve the speed of recovery after exercise. Almonds are rich in protein, healthy fats, vitamin E, minerals and fiber. Additionally, the brown skin of almonds contains polyphenols that help control colon inflammation and oxidative stress.
According to a study on almonds published in “Current Developments in Nutrition”, a food science journal published by the American Society of Nutrition, regular consumption of two handfuls of almonds per day reduces post-exercise soreness and muscle damage and improves muscle performance.

The study was conducted on middle-aged adults with healthy weight or mild obesity (BMI 23-30) who exercised 1 to 4 hours per week. Study participants ate 2 handfuls (about 57 grams) of raw almonds or 3 handfuls (about 86 grams) of unsalted pretzels with the same equivalent calorie intake every day for eight weeks.

For the study, subjects induced muscle damage by running downhill on a treadmill for 30 minutes each day and then eating almonds or pretzels again. Even after running on the treadmill I continued the recovery process by consuming the snack every day for 3 days.

The research team measured participants’ perception of muscle pain, muscle performance (isokinetic torque test and vertical jump assessment), and biochemical indicators of muscle damage and inflammation (creatine kinase, C-reactive protein) before and 24, 48 and 72 hours after the treadmill. stroke, myoglobin and antioxidant capacity).

As a result, the almond group had ▲reduced levels of creatine kinase (CK), an indicator of muscle damage, up to 72 hours after exercise ▲CK levels decreased more rapidly after 72 hours, suggesting the possibility of a faster recovery speed ▲after 24 and 72 hours Improved muscle performance ▲The recovery effect has been demonstrated by reducing the intensity of pain for 24 hours (reduction of 37%) and 48 hours (33% reduction) after maximum eccentric contraction.

Consuming almonds after exercise helps muscle recovery. Provided by Getty Image Bank

Dr. Mark Kurn, Department of Physical Nutrition at San Diego State University, emphasized: “Strategies to promote recovery are very important because good recovery after exercise is essential for subsequent exercise and greater intensity”.

Some studies have shown that almonds are better for muscle recovery than energy bars.

A research team from Appalachian University in the United States conducted an experiment to observe the effect of consuming almonds on recovery after exercise. The research team asked 38 men and 26 women aged between 30 and 65, who normally did not exercise, to exercise vigorously for four weeks. Participants performed shuttle runs, vertical jumps, bench presses and leg presses for 90 minutes each day. After exercise, half of the participants ate 57 g of almonds and the other half ate an energy bar with the same amount of calories. The research team collected urine and blood samples from the participants after each training session to determine the differences between the two groups.

As a result of the experiment, the concentration of lipid components that promote muscle metabolism and induce recovery in the group consuming almonds was found to be 69% higher than in the group consuming energy bars. In contrast, the concentration of lipid components that negatively affect muscle recovery in the group consuming energy bars was only 40% higher than in the group consuming almonds.

“Athletes need to focus on optimizing carbohydrates and proteins before, during and after exercise,” experts say.

Reporter Kim Ki-hwan kkh@segye.com

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