Effects of House Cricket (Acheta domesticus) Supplementation on Muscle Recovery following an Exercise-Induced Pain in Recreationally Active Males
(Jerry Vanlin, Victor Selvarajah Selvanayagam, Ashril Yusof)

House crickets (Acheta domesticus), rich in protein, may aid muscle recovery, particularly after unaccustomed eccentric exercise, which typically causes pain and impairs muscle function. This study investigated the effects of house cricket supplementation on muscle recovery following eccentric drop jump exercise. Thirty-six recreationally active males performed 100 drop jumps to induce muscle damage and pain and were then supplemented with house cricket powder (CRI; n = 12), whey protein isolate (WHE; n = 12), or isocaloric maltodextrin (CON; n = 12). Supplements were adjusted to ensure a daily protein intake of 1.4 g/kg body weight. Muscle pain (visual analogue scale, VAS), maximum strength (isokinetic knee extension [KEX], flexion [KFX], and isometric knee extension [IKE]), and explosive power (countermovement jump [CMJ], and squat jump [SQJ]), were evaluated at baseline, and at 10 min, 24, 48, and 72 h post-exercise. The exercise significantly increased VAS scores (~5.3 of 10), and reduced KEX (~16%), KFX (~6%), IKE (~20%), CMJ (~14%), and SQJ (~14%) performance. Both CRI and WHE significantly improved maximum strength recovery (KEX and IKE) compared to CON (p < 0.001), likely due to their protein content. However, neither supplement enhanced explosive power recovery (CMJ and SQJ), possibly due to persistent pain acting as a protective mechanism limiting explosive contractions. In conclusion, house cricket supplementation shows promise as a sustainable alternative to conventional protein supplements for improving maximum strength recovery following an unaccustomed eccentric exercise.