drtbear1967
Musclechemistry Board Certified Member
Many say that antioxidants such as Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Alpha-Lipoic Acid, and Glutathione must be taken around a workout because they help repair the oxidative stress that occurs during training. <!-- /react-text -->
<!-- react-text: 43 -->Before I go into the research, let me explain what oxidative stress means. As your body undergoes normal metabolism (i.e., the breakdown of carbs, fats, and proteins) it produces what we call oxidants. Oxidants are essentially molecules that have lost an electron. In organic chemistry the loss of electrons produce molecules that can damage cells. Antioxidants help reduce this stress. Think of it as a race car. You can run a race car very hard, however eventually you're going to have to do something to it for it to continue to run. Your body is the same way, especially under intense exercise. <!-- /react-text -->
<!-- react-text: 45 -->In this study researchers looked at the effects of the antioxidants Vitamin C and Vitamin E on strength and hypertrophy. What they found is that supplementing with Vitamin C and E over 10 weeks actually DECREASED strength! Why did this occur? <!-- /react-text -->
<!-- react-text: 47 -->When your body produces a lot of oxidants under intense exercise it may signal for various growth factors. Therefore, when you reduce this stress by consuming antioxidants it may inhibit adaptations caused by training!<!-- /react-text -->
<!-- react-text: 50 -->The take home message is that it may be in your best interest to use antioxidants as far away from your workout as possible.
<!-- react-text: 43 -->Before I go into the research, let me explain what oxidative stress means. As your body undergoes normal metabolism (i.e., the breakdown of carbs, fats, and proteins) it produces what we call oxidants. Oxidants are essentially molecules that have lost an electron. In organic chemistry the loss of electrons produce molecules that can damage cells. Antioxidants help reduce this stress. Think of it as a race car. You can run a race car very hard, however eventually you're going to have to do something to it for it to continue to run. Your body is the same way, especially under intense exercise. <!-- /react-text -->
<!-- react-text: 45 -->In this study researchers looked at the effects of the antioxidants Vitamin C and Vitamin E on strength and hypertrophy. What they found is that supplementing with Vitamin C and E over 10 weeks actually DECREASED strength! Why did this occur? <!-- /react-text -->
<!-- react-text: 47 -->When your body produces a lot of oxidants under intense exercise it may signal for various growth factors. Therefore, when you reduce this stress by consuming antioxidants it may inhibit adaptations caused by training!<!-- /react-text -->
<!-- react-text: 50 -->The take home message is that it may be in your best interest to use antioxidants as far away from your workout as possible.
