Effects of four weeks supplementation of vitamin C on total antioxidant capacity and malondialdehyde among inactive men after an eccentric exercise

  Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of four weeks supplementation of   vitamin C on serum levels of total antioxidant capacity and malondialdehyde among inactive   men after an eccentric exercise.   Materials and Methods: Twenty non-athletic healthy volunteer men (24 ± 1.6 years old,   22.59 ± 2.62 body fat percentage and 48.96 ± 3.58 mL/kg/min maximum oxygen uptake) were   divided into two randomized groups, i.e. vitamin C (1000mg/day) and placebo groups. Four   particpants left the study before completion. After four weeks of supplementation, all participants   participated in an intermittent aerobic exercise on a treadmill with 80% oxygen consumption   (the negative slope of 10 degrees) and ran for 45 minutes. The first blood sample was taken   before supplementation, a second blood sample after the end of supplementation period and   the third sample immediately after the exercise. Normalized data were analyzed using repeated   measures by Bonferroni t-test. Analysis was done using for (SPSS) software version 21.   Results: The capacity for total antioxidant ( P = .001) and malondialdehyde ( P = .001) in sera   were significant. Four weeks of vitamin C supplementation also significantly increased the   basic total antioxidant capacity. In addition, vitamin C was able to increase the antioxidant   capacity after exercise.   Conclusion: Supplementation of vitamin C can increase the basic total antioxidant capacity.   Adverse changes in oxidative stress-induced activities can reduce damages by aerobic exercises   in non-athletic men.