What is Pomegranate?

Pomegranate, also known as punica granatum is a small berry-like fruit with seeds encased in a thick red rind`. It originates from the middle east and its health benefits include a high concentration of nitrates, polyphenol compounds and antioxidants.

Pomegranate juice is produced from the first press of squeezing the whole fruit which can then turn into a liquid extract by extracting the remaining fruit and after additional pressing and further resin purification and drying a powdered extract of pomegranate is produced which can be standardised to a high concentration of polyphenols [1].

What does 90& ellagic acid mean?

The pomegranate extract is standardised to contain 90% ellagic acid. Ellagic acid is one of the active compounds within pomegranate that provides it health benefits.

Ellagic acid can help reduce oxidative stress, increase blood flow and induce nitric oxide production all of which can have a beneficial effect for exercising.

What are the benefits?

  • Increases physical endurance
  • Improved recovery
  • Improved anaerobic capacity

Increases physical endurance

Due to its antioxidant, nitrate and polyphenol content pomegranate can enhance blood flow and vasodilation (widening of blood vessels).

The content of polyphenols may be the cause of these benefits due to its ability to protect nitric oxide against oxidative destruction and therefore increasing the bioavailability of nitric oxide [2].

Further studies have supported this showing after ingestion of pomegranate extract vessel diameter and blood flow was enhanced which led to a delay of fatigue during exercise [3].

To test for endurance one study performed a constant cycling effort for 90 minutes at 70% of VO2 max followed by cycling to exhaustion test where the difficulty increased every 3 minutes until exhaustion. The results showed significant improvements in time to exhaustion for those taking pomegranate extract [4].

Improved recovery

Exhaustive exercise or eccentric movements can cause muscle damage, oxidative stress and inflammation which may cause a decrease in exercise performance due to weakness or soreness [5].

The antioxidant and polyphenol compounds within pomegranate are shown to enhance recovery and decrease oxidative stress, one study found a reduction of the immediate increase of an oxidative stress markers, MDA by over 12% along with an increase in antioxidant responses [6].

Pomegranate extract will prevent the rise of MDA and induce antioxidant defence following from physical exercise which should have the effect of lowering oxidative stress and lowered muscle inflammation [7].

Improved anaerobic capacity

As a result of exercising there is an increased demand for oxygen. Pomegranate shows a potential to enhance vasodilation and increase blood flow which effectively means more nutrients (oxygen being one) can get to the muscles that are working.

A study utilising a repeated sprint ability test supports this claim with it showing peak power significantly higher for sprint number 5 and 7 out of 10. Vessel diameter and blood flow was alos shown to be significantly higher [8]

References

[1]https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/effects-of-pomegranate-supplementation-on-exercise-performance-and-postexercise-recovery-in-healthy-adults-a-systematic-review/30D2E092793C074A8F673B5987D96D2D

[2]https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16626982/

[3]https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/abs/10.1139/apnm-2014-0137

[4]https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/11/4/721?uid=563b4f0a2a#B44-nutrients-11-00721

[5]https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0160305

[6]https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/9/8/819

[7]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4384863/#ref33

[8]https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1186/1550-2783-12-S1-P56#d1e263