Cashew Apple Juice Improves Physical Fitness and Oxidative Stress Status in the Middle-Aged and Elderly Volunteers.

Objective: Based on the crucial role of oxidative stress on physical performance and muscular strength, we aimed to determine the effect of a 12 week-consumption period of cashew apple juice, a substance possessing antioxidant effect, on the physical fitness and oxidative stress status of the middle aged and the elderly.

Material And Method: A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled design was performed. Forty-five healthy middle-age and elderly volunteers received 1,000 ml of either cashew apple juice (120 and 240 mg/day) or placebo once daily for 12 weeks. The changes of malondialdehyde (MDA) level and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) enzymes in the plasma together with the health related-physical fitness was assessed every four weeks throughout the 12-week consumption period and four weeks after the cessation of the consumption.

Results: The subjects who consumed the cashew apple juice at dose of 240 mg/day showed improved oxidative stress status and enhanced performance in 30-second chair stand test and 6-minute walk test. These data suggested that a 12-week consumption period of cashew apple juice consumption enhance muscle strength of lower extremities and the cardiopulmonary endurance.

Conclusion: The possible underlying mechanism might occur partly via the improved oxidative stress status. Therefore, cashew apple fruit juice may be a potential candidate to enhance the health-related physical fitness for the middle aged and elderly volunteers. However, further research is required to provide better understanding about the precise underlying mechanism.