Mangoes have a unique nutrient profile (carotenoids, polyphenols, sugars, and vitamins) that we hypothesized would mitigate post-exercise inflammation. This study examined the effects of mango ingestion on moderating exercise-induced inflammation in a randomized crossover trial with 22 cyclists. In random order with trials separated by a 2-week washout period, the cyclists ingested 330 g mango/day with 0.5 L water or 0.5 L of water alone for 2 weeks, followed by a 2.25 h cycling bout challenge. Blood and urine samples were collected pre- and post-2 weeks of supplementation, with additional blood samples collected immediately post-exercise and 1.5-h, 3-h, and 24 h post-exercise. Urine samples were analyzed for targeted mango-related metabolites. The blood samples were analyzed for 67 oxylipins, which are upstream regulators of inflammation and other physiological processes. After 2 weeks of mango ingestion, three targeted urine mango-related phenolic metabolites were significantly elevated compared to water alone (interaction effects, p ≤ 0.003). Significant post-exercise increases were measured for 49 oxylipins, but various subgroup analyses showed no differences in the pattern of change between trials (all interaction effects, p > 0.150). The 2.25 h cycling bouts induced significant inflammation, but no countermeasure effect was found after 2 weeks of mango ingestion despite the elevation of mango gut-derived phenolic metabolites.
Keywords: exercise; gallotannins; inflammation; mangoes; metabolites; oxylipins; tandem mass spectrometry.