Effects of Six Weeks of Watermelon Juice supplementation on Total Antioxidant Capacity in Elite Taekwondo Athletes

Introduction and objective: The natural product watermelon contains a high concentration of antioxidants that have the potential to mitigate the oxidative damage resulting from the generation of free radicals post-exercise. As such, this study aims to explore the impact of six weeks of watermelon juice supplementation on the antioxidant capacity of elite female taekwondo athletes. Methods: In a study involving twenty-five young female elite taekwondo players with a mean age of 21.84±2.26 years, participants were randomly assigned to either the watermelon juice group (n=15) or the placebo group (n=10). Over six weeks, subjects consumed 500 ml of watermelon juice or placebo 45 minutes before each of their three weekly training sessions. The Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) index was measured in selected athletes undergoing training at the Taekwondo House in Kermanshah, located in western Iran. Results : The study found that following six weeks of intervention, watermelon juice supplementation led to a significant increase in total antioxidant capacity (TAC) (p=0.001), while the TAC levels in the placebo (PLA) group remained relatively unchanged (p=0.490). Moreover, participants in the watermelon juice group demonstrated higher VO2max compared to the placebo group, and experienced significantly lower levels of muscle soreness at 24 and 48 hours post-exercise (p>0.05). Conclusions: A six-week regimen of watermelon juice supplementation has been found to enhance overall antioxidant capacity and alleviate muscle soreness.