EFFECTS OF AN ANTIOXIDANT-RICH DIET ON MUSCLE SORENESS FOLLOWING TRAINING IN ADOLESCENT SOCCER PLAYERS

This study examined the effect of a six-week antioxidant-rich whole-food dietary intervention on delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) following standardized soccer-specific exercise in adolescent male soccer players. Forty adolescent male soccer players were randomly assigned to an antioxidant-rich diet (ATD, n = 20) or a conventional control diet (CON, n = 20) in a two-arm, parallel-group randomized controlled trial. Both groups completed the same supervised soccer training program three times weekly for six weeks. The ATD group consumed a structured diet emphasizing antioxidant-rich fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices, whereas the CON group received a nutritionally balanced conventional diet. DOMS was assessed using a 10-cm visual analogue scale before exercise and at 24, 48, and 72 h following a standardized soccer-specific exercise session. Data were analyzed using a linear mixed-effects model with group, time, and group × time interaction as fixed effects. All participants completed the intervention, with dietary adherence of 88.1 ± 4.8% in ATD and 86.9 ± 5.3% in CON. A significant group × time interaction was observed (p = 0.042). DOMS was lower in ATD than CON at 24 h (adjusted mean difference −0.78, 95% CI −1.50 to −0.07; p = 0.033; Hedges’ g = −0.69), with larger differences at 48 h (−1.94, 95% CI −2.78 to −1.11; p < 0.001; g = −1.45) and 72 h (−1.33, 95% CI −2.15 to −0.51; p = 0.005; g = −1.01). A six-week antioxidant-rich whole-food dietary intervention was associated with lower perceived muscle soreness following standardized soccer exercise in adolescent male players. The findings support its potential as a complementary nutritional strategy for subjective recovery, although the absence of physiological biomarkers prevents conclusions regarding underlying mechanisms or direct muscle damage.