Chokeberry extract, body fat and blood markers in handball players
What it found
Twelve weeks of chokeberry extract lowered body fat and improved several blood markers in 16 young handball players.
The changes were seen during their regular competition season.
What they found
Studies in people
Body fat decreased
After 12 weeks, total body fat dropped from about 9.4 kg to 7.3 kg. The share of body fat fell from about 11.4 percent to 8.8 percent. These changes were seen in people.
Oxidative stress markers fell
Two markers linked to cell damage went down over the 12 weeks in these athletes. An enzyme that helps protect cells became more active. These changes were measured in people.
Good cholesterol rose
After 6 weeks, high-density lipoprotein rose from about 1.3 to 1.6 mmol/L in the players. Total cholesterol and other fats stayed within normal ranges. These measurements were taken from people.
Blood cell counts changed
After 6 weeks, hemoglobin rose from about 144.4 to 151.7 g/L and red blood cells increased. White blood cells dropped slightly. All of these shifts were observed in people.
What the authors conclude
- They say chokeberry extract brought a wide range of helpful changes for these athletes during their competition season.
- The authors suggest future studies should include more participants and test both training and competition periods.
How it was done
Intense sports like handball create stress in the body and can damage muscles through free radicals. The authors wanted to see if chokeberry extract, which is rich in plant compounds, could help athletes during a busy season.
Sixteen handball players aged 16 to 24 took 30 mL of liquid chokeberry extract every morning before training for 12 weeks. They were tested at the start, after 6 weeks, and after 12 weeks during their regular competition season.
What it can’t tell you
- This study had no comparison group taking a dummy drink, so scientists cannot be sure the extract alone caused the changes.
- Only 16 young male athletes took part, so the results may not apply to older adults, women or people who do not play sports.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Military Medical Academy, Serbia; University of Kragujevac, Serbia; University of Belgrade, Serbia
The paper
- Title
- The influences of chokeberry extract supplementation on redox status and body composition in handball players during competition phase
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Cikiriz N, Milosavljevic I, Jakovljevic B, et al (2021). The influences of chokeberry extract supplementation on redox status and body composition in handball players during competition phase. Canadian journal of physiology and pharmacology. doi:10.1139/cjpp-2020-0095Free full textPubMed 32640181DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error