Evaluation of dietary supplementation with a commercial blackcurrant fruit product on health by exploring its modulation in a model of exercise-induced oxidative stress and immune function

INTERVENTION: Participants will consume an ‘off‐the‐shelf’ blackcurrant fruit‐derived product which is in capsule form or placebo (administered orally) immediately before and immediately after a 30 minute session of exercise on a rowing ergometer. The fruit product used is a powdered blackcurrant extract derived from commercial blackcurrant cultivars grown in New Zealand and encapsulated in gelatin. This is a commercial product available in health stores. Each capsule contains fruit extract approximately equivalent to 12 grams of fresh blackcurrants. The total anthocyanin content in each capsule is 60 milligrams. Trial participants will be given a total of four capsules (two before and two after exercise). This is equivalent to 48 grams of fresh blackcurrants and 240 milligrams of anthocyanins. Plasma markers will be monitored at several time points including before and after exercise and 24 hours later. There is a one week washout period between interventions. CONDITION: immune function responses to moderate exercise oxidative stress responses to moderate exercise PRIMARY OUTCOME: Changes in plasma markers of oxidative stress in response to exercise following fruit product consumption SECONDARY OUTCOME: Changes in plasma markers of inflammation and immunity in response to exercise following fruit product consumption INCLUSION CRITERIA: Healthy persons of any gender