Vitamins E and C reduce interleukin-6 levels
Danish researchers studied a group of young healthy men who received
a vitamin supplement containing a combination of ascorbic acid (500
milligrams daily) and 400 IU of natural vitamin E (RRR-alpha-tocopherol),
or a placebo.
After 28 days of supplementation, the subjects performed three
hours of exercise at 50% of maximal power output.
Muscle biopsies from muscles in the thigh were obtained at rest,
immediately after exercise and after three hours of recovery
The release of interleukin-6 from the leg, which increased during
exercise with a peak at 3.5 hours in the control group, was completely
blunted during exercise in subjects given vitamin C and E.
Moreover, C-reactive protein and cortisol levels all increased
after the exercise in the group given the placebo, but not in those
using antioxidant supplements.
While supplementation with vitamins C and E reduces the interleukin-6
response to exercise, nobody knows for sure if this is a good thing
or not.
Muscles grow in response to injury and inflammation. Inhibiting
the activity of chemicals such as interleukin-6 and prostaglandins
can interfere with muscle hypertrophy and protein synthesis (see
Why pain killers can stop
muscle growth dead in its tracks).
However, there's currently no reliable evidence to show that vitamins
C and E slow muscle growth.
Related Articles
References
Supplementation with vitamins C and E inhibits the release of interleukin-6
from contracting human skeletal muscle. J
Physiol. 2004 Jul 15;558(Pt 2):633-45
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