Data published in Scientific Reports appears to support the potential of 600 mg of avocado pulp an hour before aerobic exercise to help with cardiovascular and autonomic recovery post-exercise.
“Evaluation of cardiovascular and autonomic recovery after exercise is an important measure to detect physiological difficulties directly after effort, including increased risk of cardiovascular events and sudden death. This technique provides evidence hidden during resting conditions,” explained researchers from University Health Center ABC in Sao Paulo and Sao Paulo State University (UNESP).
“This study has provided primary evidence that acute avocado pulp supplementation induced a positive effect for cardiovascular and autonomic recovery after exercise.”
Study details
The Sao Paulo-based scientists recruited 16 healthy women to participate in their crossover, randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled trial (12 women completed the study). The women were randomly assigned to consume a single 600 mg dose of avocado pulp or placebo (starch) an hour before running on a treadmill for one hour. They were observed for an additional hour to assess their recovery. Two to three days later the women crossed over to the other group and the experiment repeated.
“This study did not isolate any constituent of avocado pulp in order to make the situation similar to the real-life setting, given that general population have easier access to the entire avocado pulp rather than its specific components,” wrote the researchers. “In this sense, no conclusive argument can be made as to what exact bioactive component(s) of avocado pulp was responsible for our observations.”
The study produced four key results, including: “(1) avocado accelerated the [systolic blood pressure] return to baseline after moderate effort; (2) recovery of [heart rate] after exercise was faster when subjects ingested avocado pulp; (3) re-entrance of [heart rate] parasympathetic control was quicker when under avocado administration and; (4) [Heart rate] sympathetic regulation and skin conductance recovery after moderate exercise were improved in the avocado pulp condition.”
“This outcome supports the advantageous effects of avocado pulp prior to exertion, suggesting the beneficial use of avocado before exercise,” they concluded.
Source: Scientific Reports
2020, Volume 10, Number 1, Pages 10703. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-67577-3
“Avocado (Persea Americana) Pulp Improves Cardiovascular and Autonomic Recovery Following Submaximal Running: A Crossover, Randomized, Double-Blind and Placebo-Controlled Trial”
Authors: F.H. Sousa et al.
