Are antioxidants good for athletes?
Many athletes supplement with antioxidants in the belief this will reduce muscle damage, immune dysfunction and fatigue, and will thus improve performance, while some evidence suggests it impairs training adaptations.
Do antioxidants improve performance?
Studies have generally found that antioxidant supplements do not improve performance. The question remains as to whether athletes need supplements to prevent oxidative damage as a result of exercise or to help them recover from the damage.
What are antioxidant vitamins and why are they important for athletes?
The broad concept behind antioxidant supplementation is relatively simple: Intense physical activity creates free radicals that damage cells and prolong recovery, and antioxidants reduce free radicals. 1 So theoretically, consuming antioxidants like vitamin E and vitamin C should speed recovery.
How does antioxidant work?
Antioxidants neutralize free radicals by giving up some of their own electrons. In making this sacrifice, they act as a natural “off” switch for the free radicals. This helps break a chain reaction that can affect other molecules in the cell and other cells in the body.
Are antioxidants beneficial or detrimental to training and physical performance?
The consistent finding is that antioxidant supplementation attenuates exercise-induced oxidative stress. However, any physiological implications of this have yet to be consistently demonstrated, with most studies reporting no effects on exercise-induced muscle damage and performance.
How long after workout should I take antioxidants?
It peaks between 24 and 72 hours after the initial bout of exercise. Many people take antioxidant supplements such as vitamin C and/or E or antioxidantâenriched foods such as tart cherry or pomegranate juice before and after exercise in the belief that these will prevent or reduce muscle soreness after exercise.
When should I take antioxidants?
For the majority of patients, the evening meal is the largest of the day,18 yet most people take antioxidant supplements in the morning. If the antioxidant properties are consumed during meals, then vitamins should be taken before the meal for optimal protection.
Can you get too much antioxidants?
“More is not always more in nutrition. And too much can be a bad thing, especially in the mega high doses coming in the supplements,” Dr Beckett said. In fact, research has shown that, in some instances, taking antioxidant supplements can cause harm, and even increase the risk of cancer.
Do antioxidants prevent muscle growth?
A recent study suggests that antioxidant supplements could hamper your muscle building efforts, because increased oxidation is needed to repair damage to muscle cells (aka build muscle).
What vitamins are depleted with exercise?
During an intense workout, sweat carries out our B vitamins, vitamin C, and important minerals. As athletes, this is particularly concerning because of the importance of these vitamins in our energy production, waste removal, and muscle growth and repair.