This study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition investigates the effects of a chickpea protein hydrolysate (CPH) on exercise-induced biomarkers of muscle damage and inflammation in federated male road cyclists. Conducted as a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, it involved 24 participants who completed a 14-day intervention.
Participants were divided into two groups: one receiving 12 g/day of chickpea protein hydrolysate (EXP) and the other receiving a placebo (PLA) following their training sessions. The selected dose was based on prior research indicating the antioxidant and immunomodulatory properties of the hydrolysate. Throughout the study, nutritional intake and training loads were monitored to ensure controlled conditions.
Body composition and biochemical markers associated with muscle damage and inflammation were assessed before and after the intervention. The results indicated no significant differences in body composition, training load, or dietary intake between the two groups, affirming the controlled experimental conditions.
However, between-group analyses of change scores revealed significant differences in lactate dehydrogenase (LDH; p = 0.04) and C-reactive protein (CRP; p = 0.02), favoring the experimental group. Specifically, LDH levels decreased in the EXP group while they increased slightly in the PLA group. Similarly, CRP levels decreased in the EXP group and increased in the PLA group. Although creatine kinase (CK) showed a favorable trend in the EXP group, the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.062). Myoglobin levels also followed a similar downward trend.
The researchers noted that the high baseline protein intake (greater than 2 g/kg/day) among participants and the short duration of the intervention may have limited observable changes in body composition. Nevertheless, the biomarker responses suggest that CPH supplementation may positively influence certain physiological processes related to exercise-induced inflammation and cellular stress.
In conclusion, while 14 days of CPH supplementation did not alter body composition in trained cyclists with high habitual protein intakes, it was associated with favorable changes in selected biomarkers related to inflammation and cellular stress compared to the placebo group. However, given the short intervention period and the lack of direct assessments of recovery or performance, these findings should be interpreted as short-term biochemical responses. Further studies are necessary to explore the physiological relevance of these changes and whether they translate into meaningful improvements in recovery, training adaptation, or athletic performance.
What this study does not show
This study does not demonstrate that chickpea protein hydrolysate leads to improvements in recovery or athletic performance, as these outcomes were not directly assessed.
Evidence scorecard
- Analytic validity: Established
- Clinical validity: Established
- Clinical utility: Partial