Vitamin C May Benefit Muscles After Exercise

SWINDON, United Kingdom--Vitamin C may not only prevent a cold,but it may also prevent serious aches after an unaccustomed bout of prolongedexercise. In the December 2001 issue of the International Journal of SportNutrition & Exercise Metabolism (11,4: 466-81, 2001) (www.humankinetics.com),researchers gave 16 males either 200 mg of ascorbic acid twice daily or aplacebo. The subjects then performed a 90-minute, intermittent shuttle-runningtest 14 days after supplementation began. The study's authors, led by DylanThompson, Ph.D., from the University of Bath, found that vitamin Csupplementation had modest benefits on muscle soreness and muscle function.