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Curcumin Versus Ibuprofen for Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage in Physically Active Women (CURACTIVE)

20 de agosto de 2026 atualizado por: Diego Fernández Lázaro, University of Valladolid

Comparative Efficacy of Oral Curcumin Supplementation Versus Ibuprofen on Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage, Inflammation, Oxidative Stress, and Sports Performance in Physically Active Women: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial

xercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) is a common consequence of unaccustomed or high-intensity exercise and is characterized by muscle soreness, impaired physical performance, inflammation, oxidative stress, and increased circulating biomarkers of muscle damage. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, are frequently used to alleviate these symptoms, although their repeated use may be associated with adverse effects. Curcumin, a natural polyphenol with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, has emerged as a potential nutritional strategy to support post-exercise recovery.

This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial aims to compare the effects of oral curcumin supplementation and ibuprofen administration on exercise-induced muscle damage in physically active women. The study evaluates clinical outcomes, physical performance, biomarkers of muscle damage, inflammation, oxidative stress, and other health-related biomarkers to determine whether curcumin may represent a safe and effective nutritional alternative for promoting recovery after eccentric exercise.

Visão geral do estudo

Status

Concluído

Condições

Intervenção / Tratamento

Descrição detalhada

Exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) following eccentric exercise is characterized by structural disruption of skeletal muscle fibers accompanied by transient inflammation, oxidative stress, delayed-onset muscle soreness, and impaired physical performance. Although these responses are considered part of the normal adaptive process, excessive muscle damage may delay recovery and impair subsequent training or competition.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly used by athletes to reduce post-exercise pain and inflammation. However, repeated NSAID use has been associated with gastrointestinal, renal, and cardiovascular adverse effects, highlighting the need for safe nutritional alternatives capable of supporting recovery without interfering with physiological adaptation.

Curcumin, the principal bioactive polyphenol derived from Curcuma longa, exhibits antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cytoprotective properties through modulation of multiple molecular pathways involved in redox homeostasis and inflammatory signaling. Experimental and clinical studies suggest that curcumin may attenuate exercise-induced muscle damage by reducing oxidative stress, inflammatory responses, and muscle soreness, although evidence remains inconsistent and direct comparisons with NSAIDs are scarce.

The objective of this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial is to compare the efficacy of oral curcumin supplementation with ibuprofen and placebo in physically active women following eccentric exercise. The study evaluates clinical recovery, physical performance, biomarkers of muscle damage, inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers, and additional health-related biomarkers in order to characterize the physiological effects of curcumin supplementation and determine its potential role as a nutritional strategy for exercise recovery.

Tipo de estudo

Intervencional

Inscrição (Real)

36

Estágio

  • Não aplicável

Contactos e Locais

Esta seção fornece os detalhes de contato para aqueles que conduzem o estudo e informações sobre onde este estudo está sendo realizado.

Locais de estudo

      • Soria, Espanha, 42004
        • University Campus of Soria

Critérios de participação

Os pesquisadores procuram pessoas que se encaixem em uma determinada descrição, chamada de critérios de elegibilidade. Alguns exemplos desses critérios são a condição geral de saúde de uma pessoa ou tratamentos anteriores.

Critérios de elegibilidade

Idades elegíveis para estudo

  • Adulto

Aceita Voluntários Saudáveis

Sim

Descrição

Inclusion Criteria:

Healthy physically active women. Age within the predefined study range. Regular participation in physical activity for at least 6 months before enrollment.

Ability to perform the eccentric exercise protocol. Written informed consent provided before participation.

Exclusion Criteria:

Current musculoskeletal injury or pain affecting exercise performance. History of cardiovascular, metabolic, neurological, renal, hepatic, or inflammatory disease.

Pregnancy or breastfeeding. Current use of anti-inflammatory drugs, antioxidant supplements, or other nutritional supplements that could interfere with study outcomes.

Known allergy or intolerance to curcumin, turmeric, ibuprofen, or study ingredients.

Smoking or excessive alcohol consumption. Participation in another clinical trial during the study period. Any condition considered by the investigators to compromise participant safety or protocol compliance.

Plano de estudo

Esta seção fornece detalhes do plano de estudo, incluindo como o estudo é projetado e o que o estudo está medindo.

Como o estudo é projetado?

Detalhes do projeto

  • Finalidade Principal: Tratamento
  • Alocação: Randomizado
  • Modelo Intervencional: Atribuição Paralela
  • Mascaramento: Triplo

Armas e Intervenções

Grupo de Participantes / Braço
Intervenção / Tratamento
Experimental: Curcumin
Participants received oral curcumin supplementation according to the study protocol before and following the eccentric exercise protocol. Clinical recovery, physical performance, muscle damage, inflammatory, oxidative stress, antioxidant defense, and other health-related biomarkers were evaluated during the recovery period.
Participants received oral curcumin supplementation according to the study protocol before and after the eccentric exercise protocol. Curcumin was administered at the predefined dose and duration specified in the protocol. The intervention aimed to evaluate its effects on exercise-induced muscle damage, inflammation, oxidative stress, antioxidant defense, physical performance, and recovery in physically active women.
Outros nomes:
  • Curcuma longa
Comparador Ativo: Ibuprofen
articipants received oral ibuprofen according to the study protocol before and following the eccentric exercise protocol. Clinical recovery, physical performance, muscle damage, inflammatory, oxidative stress, antioxidant defense, and other health-related biomarkers were evaluated during the recovery period.
Participants received oral ibuprofen according to the study protocol before and after the eccentric exercise protocol. Ibuprofen was administered at the predefined dose and duration specified in the protocol and served as the active comparator for evaluating recovery following exercise-induced muscle damage.
Comparador de Placebo: Placebo
Participants received placebo capsules identical in appearance to the active interventions according to the study protocol before and following the eccentric exercise protocol. Clinical recovery, physical performance, muscle damage, inflammatory, oxidative stress, antioxidant defense, and other health-related biomarkers were evaluated during the recovery period.
Participants received placebo capsules identical in appearance, packaging, and administration schedule to the active interventions. The placebo contained inert ingredients and was administered according to the study protocol before and after the eccentric exercise protocol.

O que o estudo está medindo?

Medidas de resultados primários

Medida de resultado
Descrição da medida
Prazo
Exercise-induced muscle damage
Prazo: Baseline and during the 72-hour recovery period following eccentric exercise.
Exercise-induced muscle damage assessed using clinical outcomes and biochemical biomarkers following eccentric exercise to compare the effects of oral curcumin supplementation, ibuprofen, and placebo in physically active women.
Baseline and during the 72-hour recovery period following eccentric exercise.

Medidas de resultados secundários

Medida de resultado
Descrição da medida
Prazo
Creatine kinase (CK)
Prazo: Baseline and during the 48-hour recovery period following eccentric exercise.
Changes in serum creatine kinase concentration as a biomarker of exercise-induced skeletal muscle damage following eccentric exercise.
Baseline and during the 48-hour recovery period following eccentric exercise.
Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)
Prazo: Baseline and during the 48-hour recovery period following eccentric exercise.
Changes in serum lactate dehydrogenase concentration as an indicator of muscle membrane disruption and tissue damage.
Baseline and during the 48-hour recovery period following eccentric exercise.
Aspartate aminotransferase (AST)
Prazo: Baseline and during the 48-hour recovery period following eccentric exercise.
Changes in serum aspartate aminotransferase concentration as an indirect biomarker of exercise-induced muscle tissue damage.
Baseline and during the 48-hour recovery period following eccentric exercise.
Alanine aminotransferase (ALT)
Prazo: Baseline and during the 48-hour recovery period following eccentric exercise.
Changes in serum alanine aminotransferase concentration following eccentric exercise.
Baseline and during the 48-hour recovery period following eccentric exercise.
Alkaline phosphatase (ALP)
Prazo: Baseline and during the 48-hour recovery period following eccentric exercise.
Changes in serum alkaline phosphatase concentration following eccentric exercise.
Baseline and during the 48-hour recovery period following eccentric exercise.
Interleukin-6 (IL-6)
Prazo: Baseline and during the 48-hour recovery period following eccentric exercise.
Changes in circulating interleukin-6 concentration as a biomarker of the inflammatory response to exercise-induced muscle damage.
Baseline and during the 48-hour recovery period following eccentric exercise.
C-reactive protein (CRP)
Prazo: Baseline and during the 48-hour recovery period following eccentric exercise.
Changes in serum C-reactive protein concentration as a marker of systemic inflammation following eccentric exercise.
Baseline and during the 48-hour recovery period following eccentric exercise.
Malondialdehyde (MDA)
Prazo: Baseline and during the 48-hour recovery period following eccentric exercise.
Changes in plasma malondialdehyde concentration as a biomarker of lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress.
Baseline and during the 48-hour recovery period following eccentric exercise.
Superoxide dismutase (SOD)
Prazo: Baseline and during the 48-hour recovery period following eccentric exercise.
Changes in superoxide dismutase activity as an indicator of endogenous antioxidant defense.
Baseline and during the 48-hour recovery period following eccentric exercise.
Catalase (CAT)
Prazo: Baseline and during the 48-hour recovery period following eccentric exercise.
Changes in catalase activity as a marker of antioxidant defense following eccentric exercise.
Baseline and during the 48-hour recovery period following eccentric exercise.
Delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS)
Prazo: Baseline and during the 48-hour recovery period following eccentric exercise.
Changes in perceived muscle soreness assessed using a validated visual analogue scale following eccentric exercise.
Baseline and during the 48-hour recovery period following eccentric exercise.
Countermovement jump (CMJ)
Prazo: Baseline and during the 48-hour recovery period following eccentric exercise.
Changes in countermovement jump performance as a measure of lower-limb neuromuscular function and exercise recovery.
Baseline and during the 48-hour recovery period following eccentric exercise.
Thigh circumference
Prazo: Baseline and during the 48-hour recovery period following eccentric exercise.
Changes in thigh circumference as an indirect indicator of exercise-induced muscle swelling.
Baseline and during the 48-hour recovery period following eccentric exercise.

Colaboradores e Investigadores

É aqui que você encontrará pessoas e organizações envolvidas com este estudo.

Patrocinador

Datas de registro do estudo

Essas datas acompanham o progresso do registro do estudo e os envios de resumo dos resultados para ClinicalTrials.gov. Os registros do estudo e os resultados relatados são revisados ​​pela National Library of Medicine (NLM) para garantir que atendam aos padrões específicos de controle de qualidade antes de serem publicados no site público.

Datas Principais do Estudo

Início do estudo (Real)

31 de janeiro de 2026

Conclusão Primária (Real)

23 de maio de 2026

Conclusão do estudo (Real)

1 de agosto de 2026

Datas de inscrição no estudo

Enviado pela primeira vez

20 de agosto de 2026

Enviado pela primeira vez que atendeu aos critérios de CQ

20 de agosto de 2026

Primeira postagem (Real)

25 de agosto de 2026

Atualizações de registro de estudo

Última Atualização Postada (Real)

25 de agosto de 2026

Última atualização enviada que atendeu aos critérios de controle de qualidade

20 de agosto de 2026

Última verificação

1 de agosto de 2026

Mais Informações

Termos relacionados a este estudo

Outros números de identificação do estudo

  • DFL-CURC-2025-01

Plano para dados de participantes individuais (IPD)

Planeja compartilhar dados de participantes individuais (IPD)?

SIM

Descrição do plano IPD

ndividual participant data that underlie the results reported in publications arising from this study (after de-identification) will be made available upon reasonable request to the corresponding investigator. Data will be shared with researchers who provide a methodologically sound proposal and whose proposed use of the data has been approved by the study investigators and complies with applicable ethical and institutional regulations.

Prazo de Compartilhamento de IPD

Beginning 6 months after publication and ending 5 years after publication.

Critérios de acesso de compartilhamento IPD

Data will be available upon reasonable request to qualified researchers for scientifically sound research purposes following approval by the study investigators and execution of a data sharing agreement, when required.

Tipo de informação de suporte de compartilhamento de IPD

  • PROTOCOLO DE ESTUDO

Informações sobre medicamentos e dispositivos, documentos de estudo

Estuda um medicamento regulamentado pela FDA dos EUA

Não

Estuda um produto de dispositivo regulamentado pela FDA dos EUA

Não

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