Can a berry extract help athletes bounce back after brutal workouts?
NCT ID NCT07828444
First seen Sep 18, 2026 · Last updated Sep 18, 2026
Summary
Researchers are testing whether a New Zealand blackcurrant extract can reduce muscle damage, soreness, and inflammation in elite male taekwondo athletes after high-intensity training. Twenty-nine athletes take either the extract or a placebo for seven days. The study measures blood markers of muscle breakdown and oxidative stress, plus how sore the athletes feel.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- New Zealand blackcurrant extract, a supplement rich in anthocyanins
- What this could lead to
- If it works, blackcurrant extract could become a simple, natural way for athletes to recover faster and feel less sore after hard training.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, short study in one group of athletes, so any benefit may be modest or may not apply to other sports or people. Supplements can also interact with other products or cause unexpected side effects.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
-
29 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
-
Dec 2023
- Finished
-
Jun 2024
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
18 to 35 years
- Sex
-
Male participants only
- Healthy volunteers
-
Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Male national-level taekwondo athletes actively training and competing * Age between 18 and 35 years * Free from any chronic disease, metabolic disorder, or recent musculoskeletal injury * Not using antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, or ergogenic supplements within the last 4 weeks * Willing to maintain regular diet and training schedule during the study period * Provided written informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Female athletes * Presence of chronic illness, injury, or infection * Use of antioxidant or anti-inflammatory supplements in the 4 weeks prior to enrollment * Dietary habits incompatible with the intervention (e.g., high anthocyanin intake from other sources) * Failure to complete all study visits or provide required blood samples * Withdrawal of consent at any time
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Exercise induced muscle damage are added.
By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use
Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Okan university
Istanbul, Tuzla, 34000, Turkey (Türkiye)
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Can magnetic brain zaps ease the pain of a sleepless body?
- Can PET scans reveal hidden heart inflammation after a stroke?
- After a stroke, does the heart inflame? MRI study probes the link
- 150,000 children to be tracked from birth to old age in massive health study
- Blood clues in depression: immune signals may flag who benefits from SSRIs
- Eye drops put to the test for Post-Cataract surgery swelling