Hostname: page-component-5cf477f64f-bmd9x Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-04-03T00:09:58.806Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Ascorbic acid supplementation does not attenuate post-exercise muscle soreness following muscle-damaging exercise but may delay the recovery process

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 March 2007

Graeme L. Close ,
Tony Ashton ,
Tim Cable ,
Dominic Doran ,
Chris Holloway ,
Frank McArdle  and
Don P. M. MacLaren
Graeme L. Close*
Affiliation:
Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Henry Cotton Campus, 15–21, Webster Street, Liverpool L3 2ET, UK
Tony Ashton
Affiliation:
School of Clinical Sciences, Division of Metabolic and Cellular Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GA, UK
Tim Cable
Affiliation:
Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Henry Cotton Campus, 15–21, Webster Street, Liverpool L3 2ET, UK
Dominic Doran
Affiliation:
Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Henry Cotton Campus, 15–21, Webster Street, Liverpool L3 2ET, UK
Chris Holloway
Affiliation:
Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Henry Cotton Campus, 15–21, Webster Street, Liverpool L3 2ET, UK
Frank McArdle
Affiliation:
School of Clinical Sciences, Division of Metabolic and Cellular Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GA, UK
Don P. M. MacLaren
Affiliation:
Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Henry Cotton Campus, 15–21, Webster Street, Liverpool L3 2ET, UK
*
*Corresponding author: Dr Graeme L. Close, fax +44 151 706 5802, email [email protected]
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Exercise involving lengthening muscle actions, such as downhill running, results in delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), which may be attributable to reactive oxygen species (ROS). Although exercise causes oxidative stress, any link between ROS and DOMS remains speculative. There is emerging evidence to suggest that ROS play an important physiological role, assisting in the recovery process and protecting the cell from future damage; however, this has not been fully established. Despite this uncertainty as to the precise role of ROS, attempts to prevent post-exercise ROS production through antioxidant intervention are still common. The study investigated the effects of ascorbic acid supplementation on ROS production and DOMS following downhill running. Subjects were assigned to two groups. The ascorbic acid group (group AA) received 1 g ascorbic acid 2 h pre-, and for 14 d post-downhill running, whilst the placebo group (Pl group) received a placebo. Blood samples were drawn pre-supplement, pre- and post-exercise, and then 1, 2, 3, 4, 7 and 14 d post-exercise for analysis of ascorbate, malonaldehyde and total glutathione. DOMS was assessed using a visual analogue scale and pressure algometry. Muscle function was assessed using isokinetic dynamometry. Plasma ascorbate was elevated throughout in group AA compared with the Pl group. Downhill running resulted in DOMS in both groups. Muscle function was impaired post-exercise in both groups, although a delayed recovery was noted in group AA. Malonaldehyde increased 4 d post-exercise in the Pl group only. Ascorbic acid supplementation attenuates ROS production following downhill running, without affecting DOMS. Furthermore, ascorbic acid supplementation may inhibit the recovery of muscle function.

Keywords

Reactive oxygen speciesExerciseEccentric muscle torqueAntioxidantsMuscle damage
Type
Research Article
Information
British Journal of Nutrition , Volume 95 , Issue 5 , May 2006 , pp. 976 - 981
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 2006

References

Anderson, MDetermination of glutathione and glutathione disulphide. Methods Enzymol 1985 113, 548 – 555.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Carr, A & Frei, BDoes vitamin C act as a pro-oxidant under physiological conditions?? FASEB J 1999 13, 1007 – 1024.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cheeseman, KH & Slater, TFAn introduction to free radical biochemistry. Br Med Bull 1993 49, 481493.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Close, GL, Ashton, T, Cable, TDoran, D & MacLaren, DP\ Eccentric exercise, isokinetic muscle torque and delayed onset muscle soreness: the role of reactive oxygen species. Eur J Appl Physiol 2004 91, 615 – 621.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Close, GL, Ashton, T, McArdle, A & MacLaren, DPThe emerging role of free radicals in delayed onset muscle soreness and contractioninduced muscle injury. Comp Biochem Physiol 2005 142A, 257 – 266.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Davison, GExercise and oxidative stress: implications in health and disease. PhD Thesis, University of Glamorgan, School of Applied Sciences WalesUK.Pontypridd, 2002Google Scholar
Evans, WJVitamin E, vitamin C, and exercise. Am J Clin Nutr 2000 72, Suppl. 2 647S652S.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Field, ADiscovering Statistics using SPSS for Windows. London: Sage Publications. 1999Google Scholar
Goldfarb, AHNutritional antioxidants as therapeutic and preventive modalities in exercise-induced muscle damage Can J Appl Physiol 1999 24, 249 – 266.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jackson, MJAn overview of methods for assessment of free radical activity in biology. Proc Nutr Soc 1999 58, 1001 – 1006.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jakeman, P, Maxwell, SEffect of antioxidant vitamin supplementation on muscle function after eccentric exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol 1993 67, 426 – 430.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ji, LLExercise and oxidative stress: role of the cellular antioxidant systems. Exerc Sport Sci Rev 1995 23 135 – 166.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kearns, SR, Moneley, D, Murray, P, Kelly, C & Daly, AFOral vitamin C attenuates acute ischaemia-reperfusion injury in skeletal muscle. J Bone Joint SurgBr 2001 83, 1202 – 1206.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Leeuwenburgh, C & Heinecke, JWOxidative stress and antioxidants in exercise. Curr Med Chem 2001 8, 829 – 838.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mohr, D & Stocker, R Selective and sensitive measurement of vitamin C, ubiquinol-10 and other low-molecular-weight antioxidantsIn Free Radicals - A Practical Approach,pp.271–286 [Punchard, NA and Kelly, FJ, editors .] OxfordOxford University Press 2002.Google Scholar
Newham, DJ, Mills, KR, Quigley, BM & Edwards, RHPain and fatigue after concentric and eccentric muscle contractions. Clin Sci (Lond) 1983 64, 55 – 62.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Nieman, DC, Henson, DA, McAnulty, SR, McAnulty, L, Swick, NS, Utter, AC, Vinci, DM, Opiela, SJ & Morrow, JDInfluence of vitamin C supplementation on oxidative and immune changes after an ultramarathon. J Appl Physiol 2002 92 1970 – 1977.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Niess, AM, Dickhuth, HH, Northoff, H & Fehrenbach, EFree radicals and oxidative stress in exercise – immunological aspects. Exerc Immunol Rev 1999 5, 2256.Google ScholarPubMed
Pattwell, D, Ashton, T, McArdle, A, Griffiths, RD & Jackson, MJIschaemia and reperfusion of skeletal muscle leads to appearance of a stable lipid free radical in the circulation. Am J Physiol 2003 284H, H2400 – H2404.Google Scholar
Podmore, ID, Griffiths, HR, Herbert, KE, Mistry, N, Mistry, P & Lunec, JVitamin C exhibits pro-oxidant properties. Nature 1998 392, 559.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Powers, SK, DeRuisseau, KC, Quindry, J & Hamilton, KLDietary antioxidants and exercise. J Sports Sci 2004 22, 81 – 94.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Richard, MJ, Guiraud, P, Meo, J & Favier, AHigh-performance liquid chromatographic separation of malondialdehyde–thiobarbituric acid adduct in biological materials (plasma and human cells) using a commercially available reagent J Chromatogr 1992 577, 9 – 18.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Thompson, D, Williams, C, Kingsley, M, Nicholas, CW, Lakomy, HK, McArdle, F& Jackson, MJMuscle soreness and damage parameters after prolonged intermittent shuttle-running following acute vitamin C supplementation. Int J Sports Med 2001 22, 68 – 75.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Thompson, D, Williams, C, McGregor, SJ, Nicholas, CW, McArdle, F, Jackson, MJ & Powell, JRProlonged vitamin C supplementation and recovery from demanding exercise. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab 2001 11, 466–481.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed