Mango puree and recovery markers in beach volleyball players
What it found
In 15 male beach volleyball players, drinking mango puree daily for 4 weeks was linked to lower levels of some inflammation and muscle damage markers than a placebo drink.
The players' CD4+ T cells and CD4/CD8 ratio were also higher on mango.
What they found
Studies in people
Inflammation markers
C-reactive protein was lower on mango puree than placebo, by 1.6 mg/L on average. Interleukin-6 was also lower, by 0.7 pg/mL on average.
Muscle damage marker
Creatine kinase was lower during the mango puree period compared with placebo, by 290.1 U/L on average. The authors say changes from baseline were modest.
T-cell subsets
The percentage of CD4+ T cells was 9.82 percentage points higher on mango puree than placebo. The CD4/CD8 ratio was 0.37 higher, while CD8+ T-cell percentage did not differ between conditions.
Body composition and blood pressure
No significant differences were seen in body weight, waist-hip ratio, muscle mass, fat mass, percent body fat, protein mass, mineral content, total body water, systolic or diastolic blood pressure. Heart rate was 3 bpm higher on mango puree than placebo.
Energy intake
Total energy intake stayed about the same across all periods, at around 2066 to 2074 kcal per day. No significant differences were found in carbohydrate, fat or protein intake.
What the authors conclude
“In conclusion, this pilot randomized crossover study demonstrates that mango puree supplementation during regular training was associated with lower adjusted concentrations of inflammatory biomarkers (CRP and IL-6) and creatine kinase, compared with the placebo, in Thai men's national beach volleyball players.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that mango puree supplementation during regular training was associated with lower adjusted concentrations of inflammatory biomarkers (CRP and IL-6) and creatine kinase, compared with the placebo, in Thai men's national beach volleyball players.
- They state that mango puree supplementation was associated with higher adjusted percentages of CD4+ T cells and a greater CD4/CD8 ratio, while CD8+ T-cell percentage remained unchanged.
- They advise that further studies in larger and more diverse athletic cohorts, including female athletes and other sports with high training demands, may help to confirm these observations and extend their applicability.
How it was done
The authors wanted to see if mango, a fruit rich in polyphenols and carotenoids, could help with recovery-related body responses during intense athletic training. They noted that data on mango supplementation in elite athletes were scarce.
Fifteen Thai national male beach volleyball players took part in a randomized, single-blind, crossover trial. They consumed 600 g per day of mango puree or a placebo drink for 4 weeks each, with a 2-week washout in between, while continuing their regular training.
What it can’t tell you
- The study was small, with only 15 male athletes, so the findings may not apply to other people or to female athletes.
- The athletes' diets were not strictly controlled, and the placebo was not analysed for bioactive compounds, so it is not possible to say which components of the mango puree might be responsible.
- The study cannot show whether these marker changes lead to better performance or recovery.
Who paid
- Funding
- Funded by Sports Authority of Thailand (from the PubMed record).
- Conflicts
- The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The funding organization, as well as the coaches and athletic trainers, had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analysis, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results.
- Authors work at
- Chiang Mai University, Thailand; Sports Authority of Thailand, Thailand; Kasetsart University, Thailand
The paper
- Title
- Impact of Mango Puree Supplementation on Inflammatory, Muscle Damage, and Selected T-Cell Biomarkers in Elite Beach Volleyball Players During Regular Training
- Type
- Randomised controlled trial
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Licence
- CC BY. Words in quotation marks are the authors’; the rest is our summary.
- Cite
- Parklak W, Sawaengwaisayasuk S, Chaipatpreecha N, et al (2026). Impact of Mango Puree Supplementation on Inflammatory, Muscle Damage, and Selected T-Cell Biomarkers in Elite Beach Volleyball Players During Regular Training. Nutrients. doi:10.3390/nu18030525Free full textPubMed 41683347DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error