Director of the School of Kinesiology‘s Laboratory of Physiological Hygiene and Exercise Science (LPHES), Li Li Ji, PhD and former lab member and School of Kinesiology doctoral graduate Tianou Zhang published an article in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, on July 25, 2020, titled “Avenanthramide supplementation reduces exercise-induced inflammation in young men and women.” The article focused on avenanthramides, a group of di-phenolic acids found only in oats, and their potential to reduce the inflammatory response in human muscles post-exercise. Participants completed downhill running training with or without the avenanthramides supplementation and then were evaluated for muscle soreness and blood test results. The study found that oat avenanthramides supplementation reduced circulatory inflammatory cytokines and inhibited expression of chemokines and cell adhesion molecules induced by downhill running.

Ceapro Inc., a Canadian growth-stage biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of active ingredients for healthcare and cosmetic industries, found the results of Ji’s study to be especially promising for future research in this field. They are quoted in a press release stating that “These studies, while they were conducted using avenanthramides in food, provide a solid foundation for our research team as they move forward and conduct a safety and bioavailability study using proprietary, pure pharmaceutical-grade powder formulation of avenanthramides. The safety and bioavailability study will evaluate avenanthramides as a stand-alone therapy or potentially in combination with carriers recently developed using our PGX technology to address some inflammation-based diseases, which we believe shows great promise.”