COCOA-BASED PROTEIN AND CARBOHYDRATE DRINK DECREASES PERCEIVED SORENESS AFTER EXHAUSTIVE AEROBIC EXERCISE: APRAGMATIC PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS NICOLE M. MCBRIER, 1 GIAMPIETRO L. VAIRO, 1 DEE BAGSHAW, 2 JAIMY M. LEKAN, 3 PETER L. BORDI, 4 AND PENNY M. KRIS-ETHERTON 5 1 Department of Kinesiology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania; 2 The Full Yield, Incorporated, Boston, Massachusetts; 3 Division of Health and Physical Education, Baldwin Wallace College, Berea, Ohio; 4 School of Hotel Restaurant and Recreation Management, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania; and 5 Department of Nutritional Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania ABSTRACT McBrier, NM, Vairo, GL, Bagshaw, D, Lekan, JM, Bordi, PL, and Kris-Etherton, PM. Cocoa-based protein and carbohydrate drink decreases perceived soreness after exhaustive aerobic exercise: A pragmatic preliminary analysis. J Strength Cond Res 24(8): 2203–2210, 2010—The purpose of this pragmatic preliminary analysis was to examine the effectiveness of a cocoa-based protein and carbohydrate prototype drink on skeletal muscle damage and perceived soreness after exhaus- tive exercise. A repeated-measures experimental design was used. Common biomarkers indicative of skeletal muscle dam- age included creatine kinase (CK), urinary isoprostanes and inflammatory markers (IL-6, IL-8, C-Reactive Protein [CRP]). Self-reported perception of postexercise soreness was also evaluated. Seven men participated in an exercise session con- sisting of a 30-minute run on a declined treadmill (210% grade). Running speed was adjusted accordingly so that parti- cipants consistently maintained 75% maximal heart rate. Drinks were ingested immediately after exercise, 2 hours postexercise, and before bed. Blood draws were sampled 30, 60, 120, and 360 minutes postexercise; urine was collected 24 and 48 hours postexercise. A perceived soreness questionnaire was admin- istered 24 and 48 hours postexercise. The test drink had no effect on IL-6, CK, IL-8, CRP, or urinary isoprostanes (p . 0.05). However, the drink decreased the change in perceived soreness from 24 to 48 hours (p = 0.03). Consuming the drink after exercise resulted in a mean change of 2.6 6 6 compared to 13.7 6 10 for the control. In summary, the drink was effective in decreasing the level of self-reported perceived soreness after exhaustive exercise. KEY WORDS muscle damage, creatine kinase, DOMS INTRODUCTION D elayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is a com- mon response to exercise experienced among competitive athletes and recreational physically active persons alike. Classic signs of DOMS include tissue point tenderness, clinical stiffness, and often severe pain with movement that peaks within 24–48 hours postexercise (5). Numerous and various hypotheses exist regarding the mechanisms of DOMS, although the exact cause is still unknown. Contemporary exercise and sport science researchers propose that several factors are attributed to DOMS, including an excessive production of creatine kinase (CK) and inflammatory mediators yielded from the disruption of muscle fibers (5). Eccentric, or lengthening, contractions are the most damaging actions to skeletal muscle cell membranes and contractile proteins as a result of high force production (9). Damage to muscle cell structure elicits an inflammatory response, which increases free radical production (16). Exercise, especially aerobic in nature, at moderate to high intensity has been shown to increase free-radical production, in part because of the greater flux of oxygen within the cells and mitochondria (7). Laboratory protocols that use declined treadmill running to combine aerobic exercise with eccentric loading of the primary muscle movers successfully produce skeletal muscle cell damage in a controlled environ- ment. For example, running at intensities ranging from 70–80% of maximal heart rate on a 16–17.5% downgrade, to simulate downhill exercise, has been found to elicit high levels of lower extremity muscle damage in moderately fit individuals (13,21). Furthermore, participants that are able to Address correspondence to Nicole M McBrier, nmm13@psu.edu. 24(8)/2203–2210 Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research Ó 2010 National Strength and Conditioning Association VOLUME 24 | NUMBER 8 | AUGUST 2010 | 2203 Copyright © National Strength and Conditioning Association Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.