TUESDAY, Jan. 11, 2005 (HealthDayNews) -- Vitamin C doesn't pump up your exercise performance, says a University of Colorado study.
The findings contradict previous research that suggested ingestion of vitamin C reduced oxidative stress and, therefore, could provide a boost during workouts.
The new study found that while vitamin C did reduce oxidative stress during endurance exercises such as running, cycling and walking, neither short-term nor long-term use of vitamin C helped aerobic performance. This was true for both men and women in two age groups -- 23 years old and 61 years old.
"We did see a decrease in oxidative stress with large does of vitamin C, but this decrease didn't improve aerobic abilities either for younger or older subjects," study author Christopher Bell said in a prepared statement.
The study appears in the current online edition of the Journal of Applied Physiology.
More information
The U.S. National Library of Medicine has more about vitamin C.
