Background: Intense physical activity is known to elevate the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), potentially leading to oxidative stress in the body. The use of plant-based supplements with antioxidant properties, such as pomegranate seed oil, may help mitigate these effects. The present study aimed to investigate the response of antioxidant enzymes—superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and catalase (CAT)—as well as total antioxidant capacity (TAC) to a single session of plyometric exercise following a period of pomegranate seed oil supplementation in inactive university students.
Methodology: In this interventional study, 22 inactive students from Persian Gulf University in Bushehr were randomly assigned to two training groups. Both groups performed a plyometric exercise protocol consisting of five stations at the beginning and end of the intervention period. The supplementation group received a daily 500 mg capsule of pomegranate seed oil (POMEGA-5) for 14 consecutive days. Blood samples were collected before and after the exercise sessions to assess the levels of SOD, GPX, CAT, and TAC using the ELISA method. Data were analyzed using paired and independent t-tests via SPSS software version 21.
Results: The findings revealed a significant decrease in GPX (p = 0.001), SOD (p = 0.001), CAT (p = 0.001), and TAC (p = 0.001) levels in the exercise-only group. Conversely, the exercise plus supplementation group exhibited significant increases in SOD (p = 0.001) and TAC (p = 0.048), while the increase in GPX was not statistically significant and the reduction in CAT remained significant (p = 0.001). Between-group comparisons indicated that supplementation significantly elevated GPX (p < 0.001), SOD (p < 0.001), and TAC (p < 0.001) levels compared to the control group, whereas no significant difference was observed in CAT levels (p = 0.739).
Conclusions: Overall, the findings suggest that pomegranate seed oil supplementation may exert a prote