Q&A: Eating almonds may help 'weekend warriors' recover from workouts

Daily almond intake might have health benefits for “weekend warriors,” according to results of a small randomized controlled trial.

David C. Nieman, DrPH, FACSM, a professor in the department of biology at Appalachian State University and director of the Human Performance Laboratory at North Carolina Research Campus, and colleagues conducted a clinical trial involving 38 men and 26 women aged 30 to 65 years who did not engage in regular weight training.

About half of the participants were randomly assigned to an almond diet group, where they consumed 57 g of almonds daily for 1 month. The other half of the participants were assigned to a control group, in which they consumed a calorie-matched cereal bar every day.

The researchers found that, immediately after a session of intense exercise, people in the almond diet group had more of the beneficial fat 12,13-DiHOME — an oxylipin that has been known to have a positive effect on energy regulation and metabolic health — in their blood than control participants.

After a 90-minute eccentric exercise protocol — which caused mood disturbance, reduced strength and power performance, delayed onset of muscle soreness, significant muscle damage and more — the researchers observed some benefits in those who ate almonds: the nuts appeared to help participants decrease muscle damage during the first day of recovery, retain leg-back isometric strength and improve their mood state, like lower fatigue and tension.

Nieman and colleagues wrote that, “in general, the elevated post-exercise plasma levels of 12,13-DiHOME with almond intake support positive metabolic outcomes for adults engaging in unaccustomed eccentric exercise bouts.”

To learn more, Healio spoke with Nieman about the findings and what they might mean for primary care providers.

Healio: You found that, immediately after a session of intense exercise, people who ate 57 g of almonds every day for a month had more of the beneficial fat 12,13-DiHOME in their blood than control participants. What does this mean?

Nieman: 12,13-DiHOME is elevated in fit and lean people, and when secreted during exercise (especially with prior almond intake) improves muscle function and energy regulation.

Healio: Why do almonds specifically have this impact? Are there other foods that could have the same effect?

Nieman: This is the first study to look at this. This is a novel finding and now additional studies need to be conducted to determine if other types of foods (eg, other types of nuts) have the same effect.

Healio: What implications do your findings have for primary care?

Nieman: Many people overexercise on the weekends. Regular almond intake can improve recovery from “weekend warrior” type exercise regimens. Other almond-related benefits for exercisers revealed in this study include reduced feelings of fatigue and tension, better leg-back strength during recovery and decreased muscle damage during the first day of recovery.

Healio: What are the mechanisms at work? How do exercise and nutrition interact here?

Nieman: [We] need additional studies to explore the exact mechanisms. Almonds have a rich and varied nutrient content highlighted by good types of fats, vitamin E, minerals and polyphenols. We did show that the polyphenols in the almond brown skins were transformed in the colon by bacteria and then released back into the circulation and were negatively related to the “bad” 9,10-DiHOME.

Healio: Why are your findings important?

Nieman: [They] show that sports nutrition should extend beyond carbohydrates and water. Almonds should be a part of what athletes eat because of the high and varied amounts of nutrients provided, and this novel finding that almond intake augmented the release of 12,13-DiHOME.

Healio: What is the take-home message for primary care providers?

Nieman: Almond intake should be encouraged for physically active people to improve recovery from stressful levels of exercise.

Healio: Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Nieman: In general, the elevated post-exercise plasma levels of 12,13-DiHOME with almond intake support positive metabolic outcomes for adults engaging in unaccustomed eccentric exercise bouts.

References:

• Eating almonds daily boosts exercise recovery molecule by 69% among ‘weekend warriors.’ https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/975860. Published Jan. 9, 2023. Accessed Jan. 9, 2023.
• Nieman DC, et al. Front. Nutr. 2023;doi: 10.3389/fnut.2022.1042719.