Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, is an essential part of the human diet. It is most well known for boosting your immune system, but vitamin C plays many vital roles in your body. Structural components throughout the body, such as collagen, tendons, ligaments, blood vessels and bones use vitamin C as their building-blocks. Your physical activity level may influence how your body absorbs and uses vitamin C.
Exercise Performance
Vitamin C is an antioxidant, along with vitamins A and E, which prevent free-radical damage. One way your body produces free-radicals is during the elevated oxygen consumption of aerobic exercise. A January 2005 study published in "Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition," looked at the affects of antioxidants on physical performance. Researchers found that well-trained athletes used antioxidants more efficiently than untrained exercisers. Although athletes with more antioxidants in their diets did not show improved performance over those who had lower levels of antioxidants, they did show fewer free-radicals levels in their blood stream.
Exercise Recovery
Since vitamin C reduces cell damage from free-radicals as a result of exercise, the natural question raised is whether vitamin C reduces exercise-induced muscle damage. Researchers answered that question in the "European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology" in 1993. In this study, subjects were either in a control group or given different supplements for three weeks before performing 60 minutes of anaerobic exercise. The subjects taking vitamin C had the shortest reported recovery time and the least muscle damage.
Muscle Inflammation
Strength training causes tiny tears in your muscles which can lead to inflammation and soreness. When you are getting proper nutrition these tears repair themselves quickly, allowing your muscles to grow. Antioxidants, like vitamin C, are an important part of this process. With regard to the demands of daily strength training robbing antioxidants from other important processes, "Clinical Science" published a study in January 1999 that concluded that despite increased muscle inflammation after strength training, antioxidant concentrations were not compromised.
Sources of Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an essential part of your diet, but it is even more important if you are physically active. The best sources of vitamin C are from natural foods because they are more easily absorbed by your body. Supplements or fortified foods should be considered secondary options, although they are available if you have difficulty obtaining vitamin C in your regular diet. Dietary sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits, like oranges and grapefruit, and strawberries.
References
- Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University: Vitamin C
- "Critical Review of Food Science and Nutrition"; Antioxidants and Physical Performance; P.M Clarkson; January 1995
- "European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology"; Effect of Antioxidant Vitamin Supplements on Muscle Function After Eccentric Exericse; P. Jakeman, S. Maxwell; 1993
- "Clinical Science"; Changes in Indices of Antioxidant Status, Lipid Peroxidation and Inflammation in Human Skeletal Muscle After Eccentric Muscle Actions; R. Child, et al.; January 1999
Member Comments