Antioxidant supplementation prevents exercise-induced lipid peroxidation, but not inflammation, in ultramarathon runners

To determine if 6 weeks of supplementation with vitamins E and C could alleviate exercise-induced lipid peroxidation and inflammation, we studied 22 runners during a 50 km ultramarathon. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of two groups: (1) placebos (PL) or (2) antioxidants (AO: 1000 mg vitamin C and 300 mg RRR-α-tocopheryl acetate). Blood samples were obtained prior to supplementation (baseline), after 3 weeks of supplementation, 1 h pre-, mid-, and postrace, 2 h postrace and for 6 days postrace. Plasma levels of α-tocopherol (α-TOH), ascorbic acid (AA), uric acid (UA), F2-isoprostanes (F2-IsoPs), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured. With supplementation, plasma α-TOH and AA increased in the AO but not the PL group. Although F2-IsoP levels were similar between groups at baseline, 28 ± 2 (PL) and 27 ± 3 pg/ml (AO), F2-IsoPs increased during the run only in the PL group (41 ± 3 pg/ml). In PL women, F2-IsoPs were elevated postrace (p < .01), but returned to prerace concentrations by 2 h postrace. In PL men, F2-IsoP concentrations were higher postrace, 2 h postrace, and 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 days postrace (PL vs. AO group, each p < .03). Markers of inflammation were increased dramatically in response to the run regardless of treatment group. Thus, AO supplementation prevented endurance exercise-induced lipid peroxidation but had no effect on inflammatory markers.