Tart Cherry Consumption With or Without Prior Exercise Increases Antioxidant Capacity and Decreases Triglyceride Levels Following A High-Fat Meal.

Exercise and high phytonutrient foods may lower oxidative stress and increase antioxidant levels, which could combat the negative effects associated with a high-fat (HF) meal. Objective: To test the effects of Montmorency tart cherry consumption, with or without aerobic exercise, on antioxidant responses to a HF meal. Twelve normal weight men (22±3y), participated in a randomized cross-over design consisting of four trials: 1)HF meal with Montmorency tart cherry consumption (MC), 2)HF meal with placebo (P), 3)exercise prior to HF meal with MC (E+MC), and 4)exercise prior to HF meal with P (E+P). The HF meal contained 60 g of fat and was consumed with MC or placebo. For exercise trials, a 30-min bout of submaximal treadmill exercise was performed the afternoon prior to HF meal consumption. Antioxidant capacity and triglyceride (TG) levels were measured at baseline and 1, 2, and 3 h postprandially. Postprandial antioxidant capacity as assessed by oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORACFL) was significantly higher after MC and E+MC compared to E+P (iAUC 2.95±2.19 and 4.87±1.45 vs. -1.02±1.72 mmol Trolox eq./L, for MC and E+MC vs. E+P, respectively; p<0.01). Postprandial TG levels were significantly lower after E+MC compared to P (iAUC 58.99±19.46 vs. 107.46±22.66 mmol Trolox eq./L, for E+MC vs. P, respectively; p<0.05). These results indicate that MC consumption alone, and in combination with prior exercise, leads to greater antioxidant capacity following a HF meal compared to prior exercise with placebo. Further, MC consumption with prior exercise led to more favorable postprandial TG levels compared to placebo.