Tomato Juice Reduces Exercise-Induced Oxidative Stress
A study published in May 2012 indicates that intake of tomato juice daily reduces oxidative stress associated with extensive physical exercise. Tomato juice has significant amounts of the carotenoid lycopene, which has potent antioxidant and free-radical scavenging activity.
The subjects included 15 untrained healthy individuals. At the beginning of the study, the subjects performed a 20-minute exercise session using an ergometer bicycle at 80 percent of maximum pulse rate. The subjects consumed 150 ml tomato juice for five weeks and the exercise session was repeated. The exercise session was performed again after five weeks without tomato juice intake, and a final time after an additional five weeks with daily tomato juice ingestion. The researchers collected blood samples prior to and one hour after each exercise session to evaluate levels of 8-Oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxo-dG), a product of DNA oxidation and a marker of oxidative stress.
The investigators showed that a daily intake of tomato juice for five weeks—equal to 15 mg lycopene daily—significantly reduced the levels of serum 8-oxo-dG after a physical exercise session.
The study authors concluded, “These data strongly suggest that tomato juice has a potential antioxidant effect and may reduce the elevated level reactive oxygen species induced by oxidative stress.”
Reference:
Harms-Ringdahl M, et al. Nutr J. 2012 May 2;1:29.
