Polyphenols: well beyond the antioxidant capacity: polyphenol supplementation and exercise-induced oxidative stress and inflammation.

Moderate physical exercise leads the organism to adapt to this stressful situation. However, when exercise is exhaustive, it is also known to induce an overproduction of reactive species which can result in oxidative damage to macromolecules and tissues. Many studies have been carried out to evaluate the validity of dietary strategies or micronutrients in order to attenuate exercise-induced oxidative stress. Polyphenols are a large group of compounds widely distributed throughout the plant kingdom. This review summarizes recent evidence in relation to the effects of polyphenols as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents, using exercise as a model of study.