Effects of marine lipid fraction PCSO-524™ supplementation on biochemical and functional
measures of muscle damage and soreness in untrained men
INTRODUCTION: Intensive or unaccustomed eccentric exercise is known to cause
exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) commonly resulting in delayed onset muscle soreness
(DOMS). EIMD/DOMS can result in decrements in endurance and resistance exercise
performance. Although many treatments have been investigated for the prevention and alleviation
of EIMD/DOMS, success has been limited. PCSO-524™ has been found to attenuate symptoms
of inflammatory diseases such as arthritis and asthma, and thus may be a viable treatment for
EIMD/DOMS and may attenuate related exercise performance decrements.
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine whether or not PCSO-524™
supplementation could attenuate loss of range of motion, force loss, swelling, perceived pain
through algometry and biochemical markers of inflammation, intracellular muscle proteins and
oxidative stress after eccentric muscle damage.
METHODS: Subjects were thirty-two healthy, untrained males aged 18–26 who had
not participated in a resistance training program in the past sixty days and did not exercise for
more than three times per week for 30 minutes each session. Subjects supplemented for four
weeks with either PCSO-524™ (400 mg/day) or placebo, after which time participated in a 20-
minute downhill run (DHR) at -16% grade. Functional measures of DOMS were measured by
algometry, midline thigh girth, and maximal voluntary contraction, following supplementation and
24, 48, 72 and 96 hours following eccentric exercise. Biochemical indicators of muscle damage
such as Creatine Kinase-MM, Myoglobin, Slow skeletal troponin I, Fatty Acid Binding Protein 3,
Interleukin-6, Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha, 8-hydroxy-2' -deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), and
Cardiac Troponin I was measured pre-supplementation, post-supplementation and following DHR
at 0, 2, 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours.
RESULTS: PCSO-524™ attenuated maximal voluntary contraction force loss
significantly at 96 hours (F = 8.140 p < .001). PCSO-524™ attenuated loss of range of motion at
96 hours compared to baseline (F = 8.236 p < .05) for the PCSO-524™ group but did not change 5
for the placebo group. There was no significant change in muscle swelling from baseline as
measured by thigh girth for either PCSO-524™ or placebo. There was no significant change in
perceived muscle soreness as measured by algometry for either PCSO-524™ or placebo. There
was significant attenuation of creatine kinase MM in the blood following EMD immediately (t =
4.467, p < .001; 95% CI = 63.0 – 169.2), 2 (t = 5.076, p < .001; 95% CI = 76.1 – 178.6), 24 (t =
12.829, p < .001; 95% CI = 562.5 – 775.6), 48 (t = 11.477, p < .001; 95% CI = 493.2 – 706.7), 72
(t =9.118, p < .001; 95% CI = 359.8 – 567.5), and 96 hours (t = 11.935, p < .001; 95% CI = 574.4
– 811.6). Significant attenuation of myoglobin occurred 24 (t = 4.334, p < .001; 95% CI = 22.9 –
63.7), 48 (t = 6.402, p < .001; 95% CI = 67.7 – 131.1), 72 (t = 5.340, p < .001; 95% CI = 119.0 –
266.3), and 96 hours (t = 3.272, p < .01; 95% CI = 49.0 – 212.3) compared to placebo.
Significant attenuation of skeletal muscle troponin I occurred in the PCSO-524™ group compared
to placebo 2 (t = 2.562, p < .05; 95% CI = 0.9 – 8.0), 24 (t = 3.561, p < .01; 95% CI = 4.4 – 15.4),
48 (t = 4.095, p < .001; 95% CI = 4.7 – 14.0), 72 (T = 3.222, p < .01; 95% CI = 2.5 – 11.2), and 96
hours (T = 2.177, p < .05; 95% CI = 0.3 – 10.4) post EIMD. No significant effect of
supplementation status on fatty acid binding protein appearance in the blood (F = .418 p = .523)
post EMID. Significant attenuation of Interleukin-6 was observed 24 (t = 3.619, p < .01; 95% CI =
3.7 – 13.3), 48 (t = 3.993, p < .001; 95% CI = 5.8 – 17.8), 72 (t = 3.621, p < .01; 95% CI = 5.0 –
17.9), and 96 hours (t = 3.076, p < .01; 95% CI = 3.1 – 15.35) post EMID compared to placebo. A
significant effect of time on TNF alpha concentration in the blood (F = 132.012 p < .001) was
observed 24 (t = 4.633, p < .001; 95% CI = 11.1 – 28.5), 48 (t = 4.942, p < .001; 95% CI = 10.6 –
25.7), 72 (t = 4.747, p < .001; 95% CI = 11.3 – 28.5), and 96 hours (t = 6.349, p < .001; 95% CI =
16.8 – 32.8) post EIMD. No significant effect of time on 8-OHdG concentration in the blood (F =
1.018 p .419) was observed in either the PCSO-524™ group or placebo after EIMD. No
significant effect of time was observed on cTn1 concentration in the blood (F = .420 p = .889) in
either PCSO-524™ or placebo after EIMD.
CONCLUSIONS: Four weeks of PCSO-524™ supplementation does not improve swelling
as determined by thigh girth; perceived pain by the use of algometry; appearance of Fatty Acid
Binding Protein, 8-hydroxy-2' -deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), and Cardiac Troponin I in the blood in 6
untrained males after downhill running compared to placebo. Four weeks of PCSO-524™
supplementation is effective at attenuating maximal voluntary contraction force loss; loss of range
of motion; and reducing the appearance of creatine kinase-MM; skeletal muscle troponin I;
interleukin-6; and Tumor Necrosis Factor- alpha in the blood in untrained males after downhill
running.Submitted to the faculty of the University Graduate School
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree
Master of Science
in the Department of Kinesiology, School of Public Health
Indiana University, Bloomington, Indian
