Q: Can any supplements help minimize or relieve muscle soreness from exercise?

A: First, understand that a sore muscle is an injured muscle. When you push a muscle past its capacity, its cell membranes rupture… substances from within the cells pour into the bloodstream, triggering an inflammatory response… and inflammation causes pain. If you are always very sore after exercise—too sore to do normal daily activities—you may be pushing yourself too hard or working out incorrectly. If that is the case, a better approach than taking supplements is to reduce the intensity and/or duration of your workouts and ask a professional trainer to review your technique. Also, always stretch and rehydrate immediately after exercising.

That said, if you are prone to occasional soreness—for instance, after an especially challenging day of bicycling or a new exercise class that works your muscles in unaccustomed ways—supplements may provide some relief. Important: Ask your naturopathic physician whether any or all of the following supplements are appropriate for you and discuss whether the typical dosages should be modified. To use as needed for post-workout muscle soreness, consider…

  • Turmeric, a spice whose active ingredient, curcumin, has powerful anti-inflammatory effects. Studies suggest that turmeric eases other inflammation-related discomforts, such as arthritis, morning stiffness and minor sprains—so although there isn’t much research on whether turmeric relieves acute muscle soreness, it makes sense that it might… and anecdotally people say that it helps. Typical dosage: 400 mg of curcumin three times daily (as used in arthritis studies).
  • Fish oil, another anti-inflammatory. Typical dosage: 2,000 mg daily.
  • Vitamin C, an antioxidant that helps tissues heal. Typical dosage: 1,000 mg daily. Even more effective: A combination product, such as Emergen-C (original formula), www.EmergenC.com, that replenishes vitamin C as well as the electrolytes and B vitamins lost during exercise.