Should green tea be your new workout fuel of choice? A study published in Nutrition shows the earthy brew may offset the effects of exercise-induced oxidative stress, a condition marked by abnormally low blood levels of antioxidants. Researchers focused on resistance training, which can promote the production of free radicals (harmful chemicals known to damage DNA). Linked to major diseases like heart disease and cancer, oxidative stress occurs when the body’s antioxidant defense is overwhelmed by that revved-up formation of free radicals.
After drinking green tea three times a day for a week, the study’s group of healthy male volunteers had higher post-exercise levels of polyphenols (potent antioxidants) than participants who only drank water. Green tea also seemed to offer pre-exercise benefits, since tea-sipping study participants demonstrated a greater antioxidant capacity before performing their strength-training workout.
Don’t Skimp on D
In recent years, scores of studies have shown the health-boosting benefits of vitamin D, revealing that the so-called “sunshine vitamin” may defend against cancer, fight depression, preserve bone health and prevent arthritis. Now new research from Yeshiva University indicates D-deficient folks might face a heightened risk for peripheral artery disease (PAD), a lesser-known condition affecting about eight million Americans. Occurring when fatty deposits narrow arteries in the legs, PAD triggers pain and can impair the ability to walk, according to the study’s authors.
For the study, scientists sized up data on 4,839 US adults, finding that PAD was 64 percent more common among those with the lowest levels of vitamin D. It’s not known how the nutrient might protect against PAD, but a number of animal studies have demonstrated D could help regulate blood pressure. Sun exposure stimulates your body’s production of D, but you can also get your fill by taking supplements that deliver 1,000 IU of vitamin D daily.
Sweet tart and Heart smart
Treat yourself to plenty of tart cherries this summer — new research suggests the juicy fruit could shield your heart health. In a series of lab tests, University of Michigan scientists discovered that rats fed tart cherries had lower cholesterol than other rats. The cherry-fed rats also had much lower levels of inflammation markers associated with heart disease and diabetes. What’s more, rats on a cherry-rich diet gained less weight and put on less belly fat than their counterparts, even though both groups followed a high-fat diet.
In order to get the human equivalent of the amount of cherries tested in the study, you’d have to eat one-and-a-half cups each day, the authors note. Although the researchers have yet to complete similar studies on humans, they point to recent research finding that eating darkly pigmented fruits — such as cherries and berries — might be linked to reduced risk of death from heart disease.