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Do Antioxidant Vitamins Prevent Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage? A Systematic Review
María Martinez-Ferran1, Fabian Sanchis-Gomar2,3,4, Carl J Lavie5,6
1Faculty of Sports Sciences and Physiotherapy, Universidad Europea de Madrid, 28670 Madrid, Spain.
Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
|May 6, 2020
Summary
Antioxidant supplements like vitamin C and vitamin E may not consistently prevent exercise-induced muscle damage. Research shows mixed results, suggesting current evidence is inconclusive for athletes and fitness enthusiasts.
Area of Science:
- Exercise Physiology
- Nutritional Biochemistry
- Sports Medicine
Background:
- Exercise generates free radicals, influencing cellular signaling.
- High-dose antioxidant supplements might interfere with exercise adaptations.
- The efficacy of vitamin C and vitamin E in preventing exercise-induced muscle damage is uncertain.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review existing literature on vitamin C and/or vitamin E supplementation's effect on exercise-induced muscle damage.
- To synthesize findings regarding the protective role of these vitamins against muscle damage.
Main Methods:
- A systematic search of major scientific databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Medline, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus).
- Inclusion of 21 articles examining vitamin C and/or vitamin E supplementation in relation to exercise.
- Analysis of studies involving acute and chronic supplementation protocols.
Main Results:
- Acute vitamin C supplementation showed limited benefits in reducing creatine kinase (CK) post-exercise.
- Acute vitamin E showed a potential benefit under hypoxic conditions, but chronic use yielded inconsistent results.
- Combined vitamin C and E supplementation demonstrated mixed effects on CK levels, with some studies showing benefits and others none.
- Long-term exercise with chronic vitamin C and E supplementation produced dissimilar outcomes across studies.
Conclusions:
- While some studies suggest a protective effect of vitamin C and/or vitamin E against exercise-induced muscle damage, the overall evidence is not conclusive.
- Further research is needed to clarify the role and optimal use of these antioxidants in exercise contexts.
- Current data do not strongly support routine supplementation for preventing exercise-induced muscle damage.
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