High-Dose Vitamin C Does Not Increase Exercise Performance

A new and somewhat misguided study appears in the current issue of the Journal of Applied Physiology. Researchers attempted to determine if high-dose vitamin C (500 mg a day, intravenously) could increase exercise performance in both younger (age 22-24) and older (age 59-61) adults. The researchers concluded that vitamin C does not improve exercise performance, but that it does reduce the oxidative stress that results from exercise.



First of all, there has never been any evidence to suggest that vitamin C can increase exercise performance, so these researchers were already heading in the wrong direction. Second, no one has access to intravenous vitamins, so the study would be useless to the general population. And third, 500 mg is not a high dose of vitamin C.



We already know that vitamin C reduces oxidative stress from exercise, which is why everyone who exercises should be supplementing with 500 to 1000 mg of additional vitamin C each day. In addition, we know that 1000 mg of vitamin C following a hard weight lifting session can reduce the intensity and duration of DOMS (delayed-onset muscle soreness).



If you are training heavy or training for endurance, be sure to increase your intake of vitamin C and other antioxidants.



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