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A Rapid and Specific Microplate Assay for the Determination of Intra- and Extracellular Ascorbate in Cultured Cells
Published on: April 11, 2014
Ascorbic acid supplementation does not alter oxidative stress markers in healthy volunteers engaged in a supervised
Piyawan Bunpo1, Tracy G Anthony2
1a Division of Clinical Chemistry, Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, 50200, Thailand.
Ascorbic acid (AA) supplementation before exercise did not significantly alter oxidative stress markers in young adults over 12 weeks. While it reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) post-exercise, overall antioxidant status remained unchanged.
Area of Science:
- Exercise Physiology
- Nutritional Biochemistry
- Oxidative Stress Research
Background:
- Regular exercise can induce oxidative stress.
- Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is a potent antioxidant.
- The role of ascorbic acid supplementation in mitigating exercise-induced oxidative stress in untrained individuals requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of ascorbic acid (AA) supplementation on oxidative stress markers in untrained young adults undergoing a supervised exercise program.
- To assess the effects of different doses of AA on plasma and erythrocyte antioxidant status and lipid peroxidation.
Main Methods:
- 46 untrained young adults participated in a 12-week aerobic running program (3x/week).
- Participants were assigned to a control group (no AA), or received 250mg or 500mg of AA before each session.
- Blood samples were analyzed for metabolic profiles, total antioxidant status (TAS), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and catalase.
Main Results:
- Plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) significantly increased post-exercise, but AA supplementation reduced MDA levels.
- No significant changes in blood glucose, lipid profile, TAS, SOD, GPx, or catalase were observed after 12 weeks of exercise across groups.
- AA supplementation showed minor, inconsistent reductions in SOD, GPx, and catalase activities.
Conclusions:
- Pre-exercise ascorbic acid supplementation does not significantly alter key oxidative stress markers in young adults participating in a supervised exercise program.
- While AA may offer some protection against acute exercise-induced lipid peroxidation, it does not provide sustained benefits to overall antioxidant status in this population over 12 weeks.
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