Watercress May Boost Exercise Recovery

UK researchers believe that eating watercress may alleviate the oxidative stress that comes with heavy bouts of exercise.   Watercress contains an array of nutritional compounds such as β-carotene and α-tocopherol which may increase protection against exercise-induced oxidative stress. The leafy green vegetable was the focus of a recent study published in the British Journal of Nutrition.

Ten healthy males were assigned to eight weeks of watercress consumption followed by eight weeks of control (no watercress). Blood samples were analyzed for DNA damage and lipid peroxidation at baseline (before supplementation), at rest (before exercise), and following exercise.

Exercise resulted in an increase in DNA damage and lipid peroxidation when subjects took part in the control phase of the study, but when watercress was added to the diet, markers of DNA damage and lipid peroxidation were significantly reduced. Even acute supplementation improved DNA and lipid protection, suggesting that only small amounts of the leafy green were needed to reduce oxidative stress in the body.

Blood analysis revealed notable increases of xanthophylls, alpha-tocopherol, and gamma-tocopherol with watercress consumption. The researchers proposed that these compounds might have a role in increased protection against oxidative stress.

The main findings show an exercise-induced increase in DNA damage and lipid peroxidation over both acute and chronic control supplementation phases (< 0·05 v. supplementation), while acute and chronic watercress attenuated DNA damage and lipid peroxidation and decreased H2O2 accumulation following exhaustive exercise (P < 0·05 v. supplementation), while acute and chronic watercress attenuated DNA damage and lipid peroxidation and decreased H2O2 accumulation following exhaustive exercise (P < 0·05 v. control). A marked increase in the main lipid-soluble antioxidants (α-tocopherol, γ-tocopherol and xanthophyll) was observed following watercress supplementation (P < 0·05 v. control) in both experimental phases. These findings suggest that short- and long-term watercress ingestion has potential antioxidant effects against exercise-induced DNA damage and lipid peroxidation.