Thailand Doctors and Researchers Find That Mango Puree Boosts Recovery and Immunity in Athletes
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Feb 06, 2026 1 hour, 42 minutes ago
Thailand Doctors: Researchers in Thailand have discovered that a simple tropical fruit may help elite athletes recover better from intense training while also supporting immune health. A new clinical study has found that regular mango puree supplementation significantly reduced inflammation and muscle damage while improving certain immune markers in national-level beach volleyball players.
Daily mango puree intake was shown to reduce inflammation and muscle damage in elite beach volleyball players
during intensive training
Heavy Training and The Hidden Cost on The Body
Elite beach volleyball is physically punishing. Daily training involves explosive movements, repeated jumps, powerful swings, and long hours under the sun. Such demands place constant stress on muscles and the immune system. Over time, this can lead to muscle damage, lingering inflammation, slower recovery, and increased risk of illness.
This
Medical News report focuses on a pilot clinical trial carried out among Thai men’s national beach volleyball players to explore whether mango puree, rich in antioxidants and natural plant compounds, could offer protective benefits during sustained training.
How The Study Was Conducted
The study involved 15 male national team athletes aged between 18 and 30 years.
Thailand Doctors and researchers used a randomized, single blind crossover design. Each athlete consumed either mango puree or a calorie matched placebo for four weeks, followed by a washout period, and then switched treatments.
Participants consumed 600 grams of ripe Nam Dok Mai mango puree daily, divided into three servings timed around training sessions. Blood samples were collected at rest to measure inflammation markers, muscle damage indicators, and immune cell profiles.
The research was conducted by scientists from Chiang Mai University, Kasetsart University, Mahidol University, Srinakharinwirot University, Thaksin University, University of Phayao, Kanchanaburi Western University, and the Sports Authority of Thailand.
Key Findings from The Trial
Athletes who consumed mango puree showed notably lower levels of C-reactive protein and interleukin-6, both key markers of inflammation. Levels of creatine kinase, an indicator of muscle damage, were also significantly reduced compared to the placebo phase.
In addition, mango supplementation increased the percentage of CD4 positive T-cells and improved the CD4 to CD8 ratio, a marker often associated with balanced immune function. Importantly, body weight, muscle mass, fat levels, blood pressure, and overall calorie intake remained unchanged, suggesting the benefits were not due to altered diet or body composition.
Why Mango Makes a Difference
Mangoes are rich in polyphenols, beta
-carotene, vitamin C, and other antioxidants. These compounds help neutralize oxidative stress caused by intense exercise. The Nam Dok Mai variety used in the study contained especially high levels of beneficial plant compounds that may calm inflammation and support immune regulation.
Because athletes maintained the same training load and dietary habits throughout the study, researchers believe the observed benefits were directly linked to mango puree consumption.
What This Means for Athletes
The findings suggest that incorporating mango puree into the daily diet may help elite athletes better manage training related inflammation and muscle strain while supporting immune balance during heavy workloads.
Conclusions
This study provides early but compelling evidence that mango puree supplementation can support recovery and immune health in athletes undergoing intense training. By lowering inflammation, reducing muscle damage, and improving key immune markers without affecting body composition, mango puree may offer a simple, natural nutritional strategy for athletes. Larger studies are now needed to confirm these benefits across different sports and populations.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: Nutrients.
https://www.thailandmedical.news/
For the latest on
Thailand Doctors, keep on logging to Thailand Medical News.
Read Also:
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/herbs-and-phytochemicals
Share
Tweet
Share
