Effect of vitamins E and C on exercise-induced oxidative stress

The effects of ingesting antioxidant vitamins E and C for 4 weeks on serum malondialdehyde (MDA) levels at rest and after exercise was studied in humans. Twenty-four young healthy males aged 15 30 years participated in the study. They were randomly assigned to either an antioxidant vitamin supplemented group (daily doses of 1000IU of α tocopherol and 1000mg of ascorbic acid) or a control group. Exercise consisted of 40 min of treadmill running at 60% of maximal O2 consumption (VO2 max) followed by 10min of running at 90% of VO2 max. Blood samples were collected at rest and immediately after two exercise bouts. The mean values of serum MDA concentrations (marker of lipid peroxidation) in antioxidant vitamins E and C supplemented group increased from 4.0 ± 0.04 nmol MDA /ml at rest to 4.95 ± 0.06 nmol MDA /ml at moderate exercise and then to 5.88 ± 0.4 nmol MDA /ml at high intensity exercise. It was concluded that taking 1000mg vitamin C and 1000IU of vitamin E daily lowered the makers of lipid peroxidation at rest and after exercise but does not prevent the exercise induced increase in oxidative stress.Keywords: vitamin E, vitamin C, oxidative stress, exercise Global Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences Vol. 12(2) 2006: 199-20