Vitamin C For Muscle Recovery

Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, is a common water-soluble vitamin that plays a critical role in tissue repair in your body, particularly for the connective tissue collagen. Some strength-training athletes and people who receive muscle injuries consume vitamin C in the hope that it will also help repair muscle damage. Unfortunately, the benefits of vitamin C for muscle recovery are not well-known.

Lack of Research

A lack of research prevents the scientific community from knowing the mechanism through which vitamin C assists muscle recovery, if any exists. In 1992, a single double-blind, randomized, crossover study showed some benefits of vitamin C supplementation for the treatment of delayed-onset muscle soreness. However, a 2003 review of delayed-onset muscle soreness treatment research published in the "Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research" says that the study may have lacked proper controls. There has not been subsequent research to prove or disprove these findings as of the publication of this article.

Exercise Type

In 2004, Dylan Thompson and colleagues published a study on prolonged vitamin C supplementation in the "European Journal of Applied Physiology." While previous research from the team showed mild benefits for muscle recovery after a single, high-intensity bout of exercise, performing exercise with a low metabolic cost on the body did not yield similar results. The researchers conclude that vitamin C may be ineffective for this type of exercise, though the study also points out that the type and intensity of exercise may play a role in the nutrient's efficacy.

Vitamin C and Iron

Vitamin C may aid your workout in combination with other vitamins and minerals. For example, Harvard University says that having ample iron in your diet can prevent fatigue, weakness and a low tolerance for exercise. Vitamin C can increase your body's ability to absorb some types of iron. However, when you receive a muscle sprain, your body releases more "free iron," according to researchers at the University of Florida. In a 2001 study, these researchers found that free iron is highly reactive with excess vitamin C and N-acetyl-cysteine, another antioxidant. When this situation occurs, the free iron and vitamin C appear to have an oxidative effect on muscle tissue, causing damage to the cells rather than recovery.

Dosage

Though research into vitamin C for muscle recovery is inconclusive, the health food industry still widely promotes it as beneficial. If you choose to consume vitamin C as part of a muscle recovery program, do not exceed the daily recommended dose suggested for your age and sex. For example, men older than 18 need 90 mg per day, while women of the same age need only 75 mg. Consult with your physician or a registered dietitian about what your specific vitamin C needs are.