Goji berries and sport : the protective effect of supplementation against oxydative stress demonstrated on exercising rats!

Polysaccharides of Goji berries (Lycium Barbarum Polysaccharides ) (LBP) is one of the key nutrients these superfruits.


Chinese researchers sought to determine whether the LBP may have a protective effect against free radicals (oxidative stress) released during exercise.

For this, they supplemented rats with LBP during 30 days and subjected them to a program of intense exercise during this period.

The results were compared to a placebo group of rats.

At the end of the program, supplemented rats had a quantity of anti-oxidant enzyme higher than the control rats.

This study shows that administration of LBP to rats would have protector against oxidative stress associated with intense exercise.

To our knowledge there is no similar study in humans, but the way is open ...

> Protective effect of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides on oxidative damage in skeletal muscle of exhaustive exercise rats. Niu AJ, Wu JM, Yu DH, Wang R. Int J Biol Macromol. 2008 Jun 1;42(5):447-9.