The effects of vitamin C supplementation on oxidative and immune response and post exercises inflammation
Vitamin C in health and physical performance - critical review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12775/JEHS.2025.81.58727Keywords
ascorbic acid, antioxidant activity, inflamation, post-exercise response, vitamin C immune functionAbstract
Ascorbic acid, also called vitamin C is the one of the exogenous vitamins, functioning in human body as ascorbate and affecting many body systems. In presented revive we try to show most of the well-known, and importance proprieties of this compound focusing mainly on its role in health and physical activity.
Interaction of this antioxidant with many other compounds and body tissues revels its free radicals scavenging properties and the main possible role in body functioning. However, the benefits of using this vitamin are still controversial and the presented properties, like those of many other antioxidants, are questioned. On the other had high safety of use and vilely known properties sill indicate that this vitamin may have potential use in sport and health.
In presented work we tried to focus mainly on the properties of this vitamin in context of exercise depended demands and how high vitamin C consumption affects general health of different population and how it can be useful type of supplementation in physical activity.
References
Alghamdi, A. A., Althumali, J. S., Almalki, M. M. M., Almasoudi, A. S., Almuntashiri, A. H., Almuntashiri, A. H., Mohammed, A. I., Alkinani, A. A., Almahdawi, M. S., & Mahzari, M. A. H. (2021). An Overview on the Role of Xanthine Oxidase Inhibitors in Gout Management. Archives of Pharmacy Practice, 12(3), 94-99. https://doi.org/10.51847/RkCPaycprc
Ang, A., Pullar, J. M., Currie, M. J., & Vissers, M. C. M. (2018). Vitamin C and immune cell function in inflammation and cancer. Biochemical Society Transactions, 46(5), 1147-1159. https://doi.org/10.1042/bst20180169
Bendich, A., Machlin, L. J., Scandurra, O., Burton, G. W., & Wayner, D. D. M. (1986). The antioxidant role of vitamin C. Advances in Free Radical Biology & Medicine, 2(2), 419-444. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/S8755-9668(86)80021-7
Benjamin Adams, R., Nkechiyere Egbo, K., & Demmig-Adams, B. (2014). High-dose vitamin C supplements diminish the benefits of exercise in athletic training and disease prevention. Nutrition & Food Science, 44(2), 95-101. https://doi.org/10.1108/NFS-03-2013-0038
Boonthongkaew, C., Tong-Un, T., Kanpetta, Y., Chaungchot, N., Leelayuwat, C., & Leelayuwat, N. (2021). Vitamin C supplementation improves blood pressure and oxidative stress after acute exercise in patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus: A randomized, placebo-controlled, cross-over study. Chinese Journal of Physiology, 64(1), 16-23. https://doi.org/10.4103/cjp.cjp_95_20
Braakhuis, A. J. (2012). Effect of vitamin C supplements on physical performance. Curr Sports Med Rep, 11(4), 180-184. https://doi.org/10.1249/JSR.0b013e31825e19cd
Bryer, S. C., & Goldfarb, A. H. (2006). Effect of high dose vitamin C supplementation on muscle soreness, damage, function, and oxidative stress to eccentric exercise. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 16(3), 270-280. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsnem.16.3.270
Cobley, J. N., Close, G. L., Bailey, D. M., & Davison, G. W. (2017). Exercise redox biochemistry: Conceptual, methodological and technical recommendations. Redox Biol, 12, 540-548. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.redox.2017.03.022
Cobley, J. N., McHardy, H., Morton, J. P., Nikolaidis, M. G., & Close, G. L. (2015). Influence of vitamin C and vitamin E on redox signaling: Implications for exercise adaptations. Free Radic Biol Med, 84, 65-76. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2015.03.018
Darnton-Hill, I., Ahmed, F., & Samman, S. (2015). The Impact of Micronutrients on Inflammation and Health in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. In (pp. 597-644). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-22431-2_30
Davey, M. W., Montagu, M. V., Inzé, D., Sanmartin, M., Kanellis, A., Smirnoff, N., Benzie, I. J. J., Strain, J. J., Favell, D., & Fletcher, J. (2000). Plant L-ascorbic acid: chemistry, function, metabolism, bioavailability and effects of processing. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 80(7), 825-860. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1097-0010(20000515)80:7<825::AID-JSFA598>3.0.CO;2-6
Ellulu, M. S., Rahmat, A., Patimah, I., Khaza'ai, H., & Abed, Y. (2015). Effect of vitamin C on inflammation and metabolic markers in hypertensive and/or diabetic obese adults: a randomized controlled trial. Drug Design, Development and Therapy, 9, 3405-3412. https://doi.org/10.2147/dddt.S83144
Evans, L., Zhang, F., & Omaye, S. (2017). Vitamin C Supplementation Reduces Exercise-Induced Oxidative Stress and Increases Peak Muscular Force. Food and Nutrition Sciences, 08, 812-822. https://doi.org/10.4236/fns.2017.88058
Frei, B., England, L., & Ames, B. N. (1989). Ascorbate is an outstanding antioxidant in human blood plasma. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 86(16), 6377-6381. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.86.16.6377
García-Bailo, B., Roke, K., Mutch, D. M., El-Sohemy, A., & Badawi, A. (2012). Association between circulating ascorbic acid, α-tocopherol, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, and plasma cytokine concentrations in young adults: a cross-sectional study. Nutrition & Metabolism, 9(1), 102. https://doi.org/10.1186/1743-7075-9-102
Gęgotek, A., & Skrzydlewska, E. (2022). Antioxidative and Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Ascorbic Acid. Antioxidants (Basel), 11(10). https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox11101993
Gęgotek, A., & Skrzydlewska, E. (2023). Ascorbic acid as antioxidant. Vitamins and Hormones, 121, 247-270. https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.vh.2022.10.008
Goldfarb, A. H., Patrick, S. W., Bryer, S., & You, T. (2005). Vitamin C supplementation affects oxidative-stress blood markers in response to a 30-minute run at 75% VO2max. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 15(3), 279-290. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsnem.15.3.279
Granger, M., & Eck, P. (2018). Dietary Vitamin C in Human Health. Advances in Food and Nutrition Research, 83, 281-310. https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.afnr.2017.11.006
Hahn, T., Adams, W., & Williams, K. (2019). Is vitamin C enough? A case report of scurvy in a five-year-old girl and review of the literature. BMC Pediatrics, 19(1), 74. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-019-1437-3
He, Y. Y., & Häder, D. P. (2002). UV-B-induced formation of reactive oxygen species and oxidative damage of the cyanobacterium Anabaena sp.: protective effects of ascorbic acid and N-acetyl-L-cysteine. Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology. B: Biology, 66(2), 115-124. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1011-1344(02)00231-2
Huang, H. Y., Appel, L. J., Croft, K. D., Miller, E. R., 3rd, Mori, T. A., & Puddey, I. B. (2002). Effects of vitamin C and vitamin E on in vivo lipid peroxidation: results of a randomized controlled trial. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 76(3), 549-555. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/76.3.549
Institute of Medicine Panel on Dietary, A., & Related, C. (2000). In Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Selenium, and Carotenoids. National Academies Press (US)
Copyright 2000 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. https://doi.org/10.17226/9810
Jafarnejad, S., Boccardi, V., Hosseini, B., Taghizadeh, M., & Hamedifard, Z. (2018). A Meta-analysis of Randomized Control Trials: The Impact of Vitamin C Supplementation on Serum CRP and Serum hs-CRP Concentrations. Current Pharmaceutical Design, 24(30), 3520-3528. https://doi.org/10.2174/1381612824666181017101810
Johnston, C. S., Barkyoumb, G. M., & Schumacher, S. S. (2014). Vitamin C supplementation slightly improves physical activity levels and reduces cold incidence in men with marginal vitamin C status: a randomized controlled trial. Nutrients, 6(7), 2572-2583. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu6072572
Khassaf, M., McArdle, A., Esanu, C., Vasilaki, A., McArdle, F., Griffiths, R. D., Brodie, D. A., & Jackson, M. J. (2003). Effect of vitamin C supplements on antioxidant defence and stress proteins in human lymphocytes and skeletal muscle. J Physiol, 549(Pt 2), 645-652. https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.2003.040303
Kim, J. (2023). Effect of high-dose vitamin C and E supplementation on muscle recovery and training adaptation: a mini review. Phys Act Nutr, 27(2), 8-12. https://doi.org/10.20463/pan.2023.0012
Knight, J., Madduma-Liyanage, K., Mobley, J. A., Assimos, D. G., & Holmes, R. P. (2016). Ascorbic acid intake and oxalate synthesis. Urolithiasis, 44(4), 289-297. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00240-016-0868-7
Kong, E., Ma, S. Y., Jeong, J.-Y., & Kim, K. (2015). Effects of L-ascorbic acid on the production of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in C57BL/6 mouse splenocytes. Kosin Medical Journal, 30, 41. https://doi.org/10.7180/kmj.2015.30.1.41
Krishna Mohan, S., & Venkataramana, G. (2007). Status of lipid peroxidation, glutathione, ascorbic acid, vitamin E and antioxidant enzymes in patients with pregnancy--induced hypertension. Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology, 51(3), 284-288.
Lan, L., Nakajima, S., Oohata, Y., Takao, M., Okano, S., Masutani, M., Wilson, S. H., & Yasui, A. (2004). In situ analysis of repair processes for oxidative DNA damage in mammalian cells. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 101(38), 13738-13743. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0406048101
Langlois, M., Duprez, D., Delanghe, J., De Buyzere, M., & Clement, D. L. (2001). Serum vitamin C concentration is low in peripheral arterial disease and is associated with inflammation and severity of atherosclerosis. Circulation, 103(14), 1863-1868. https://doi.org/10.1161/01.cir.103.14.1863
Levine, M., Conry-Cantilena, C., Wang, Y., Welch, R. W., Washko, P. W., Dhariwal, K. R., Park, J. B., Lazarev, A., Graumlich, J. F., King, J., & Cantilena, L. R. (1996). Vitamin C pharmacokinetics in healthy volunteers: evidence for a recommended dietary allowance. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 93(8), 3704-3709. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.93.8.3704
Li, H., Liu, X., Lee, M. H., & Li, H. (2021). Vitamin C alleviates hyperuricemia nephropathy by reducing inflammation and fibrosis. Journal of Food Science, 86(7), 3265-3276. https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.15803
Linani, A., Benarous, K., Bou-Salah, L., & Yousfi, M. (2022). The inhibitory kinetics of vitamins B9, C, E, and D3 on bovine xanthine oxidase: Gout treatment. Chemico-Biological Interactions, 359, 109922. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbi.2022.109922
Martínez-Ferrán, M., Cuadrado-Peñafiel, V., Sánchez-Andreo, J. M., Villar-Lucas, M., Castellanos-Montealegre, M., Rubio-Martín, A., Romero-Morales, C., Casla-Barrio, S., & Pareja-Galeano, H. (2022). Effects of Acute Vitamin C plus Vitamin E Supplementation on Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage in Runners: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial. Nutrients, 14(21). https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14214635
Mason, S. A., Trewin, A. J., Parker, L., & Wadley, G. D. (2020). Antioxidant supplements and endurance exercise: Current evidence and mechanistic insights. Redox Biol, 35, 101471. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.redox.2020.101471
Mazurek, A., & Pankiewicz, U. (2012). Changes of dehydroascorbic acid content in relation to total content of vitamin C in selected fruits and vegetables. Acta Scientiarum Polonorum, Hortorum Cultus, 11, 169-177.
Mieszkowski, J., Borkowska, A., Stankiewicz, B., Kochanowicz, A., Niespodziński, B., Surmiak, M., Waldziński, T., Rola, R., Petr, M., & Antosiewicz, J. (2021). Single High-Dose Vitamin D Supplementation as an Approach for Reducing Ultramarathon-Induced Inflammation: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial. Nutrients, 13(4). https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13041280
Mieszkowski, J., Stankiewicz, B. E., Kochanowicz, A., Niespodzinski, B., Borkowska, A. E., Sikorska, K., Danilowicz-Szymanowicz, L., Brzezinska, P., & Antosiewicz, J. (2021). Remote Ischemic Preconditioning Reduces Marathon-Induced Oxidative Stress and Decreases Liver and Heart Injury Markers in the Serum. Front Physiol, 12, 731889. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2021.731889
Nieman, D. C., Henson, D. A., McAnulty, S. R., McAnulty, L., Swick, N. S., Utter, A. C., Vinci, D. M., Opiela, S. J., & Morrow, J. D. (2002). Influence of vitamin C supplementation on oxidative and immune changes after an ultramarathon. J Appl Physiol (1985), 92(5), 1970-1977. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00961.2001
Nishikimi, M., & Yagi, K. (1991). Molecular basis for the deficiency in humans of gulonolactone oxidase, a key enzyme for ascorbic acid biosynthesis. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 54(6 Suppl), 1203s-1208s. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/54.6.1203s
Noakes, T. D. (1987). Effect of exercise on serum enzyme activities in humans. Sports Med, 4(4), 245-267. https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-198704040-00003
Owens, D. J., Twist, C., Cobley, J. N., Howatson, G., & Close, G. L. (2019). Exercise-induced muscle damage: What is it, what causes it and what are the nutritional solutions? Eur J Sport Sci, 19(1), 71-85. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2018.1505957
Paschalis, V., Theodorou, A. A., Kyparos, A., Dipla, K., Zafeiridis, A., Panayiotou, G., Vrabas, I. S., & Nikolaidis, M. G. (2016). Low vitamin C values are linked with decreased physical performance and increased oxidative stress: reversal by vitamin C supplementation. European Journal of Nutrition, 55(1), 45-53. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-014-0821-x
Pawlowska, E., Szczepanska, J., & Blasiak, J. (2019). Pro- and Antioxidant Effects of Vitamin C in Cancer in correspondence to Its Dietary and Pharmacological Concentrations. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, 2019, 7286737. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/7286737
Pinnell, S. R., Yang, H., Omar, M., Monteiro-Riviere, N., DeBuys, H. V., Walker, L. C., Wang, Y., & Levine, M. (2001). Topical L-ascorbic acid: percutaneous absorption studies. Dermatologic Surgery, 27(2), 137-142. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1524-4725.2001.00264.x
Powers, S. K., Nelson, W. B., & Hudson, M. B. (2011). Exercise-induced oxidative stress in humans: cause and consequences. Free Radic Biol Med, 51(5), 942-950. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2010.12.009
Sies, H., & Jones, D. P. (2020). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) as pleiotropic physiological signalling agents. Nature Reviews: Molecular Cell Biology, 21(7), 363-383. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41580-020-0230-3
Sies, H., Stahl, W., & Sundquist, A. R. (1992). Antioxidant functions of vitamins. Vitamins E and C, beta-carotene, and other carotenoids. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 669, 7-20. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.1992.tb17085.x
Smirnoff, N. (2018). Ascorbic acid metabolism and functions: A comparison of plants and mammals. Free Radic Biol Med, 122, 116-129. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2018.03.033
Stankiewicz, B., Cieślicka, M., Mieszkowski, J., Kochanowicz, A., Niespodziński, B., Szwarc, A., Waldziński, T., Reczkowicz, J., Piskorska, E., Petr, M., Skarpańska-Stejnborn, A., & Antosiewicz, J. (2023). Effect of Supplementation with Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) Extract on Inflammatory Status and Selected Markers of Iron Metabolism in Young Football Players: A Randomized Double-Blind Trial. Nutrients, 15(4). https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15040975
Surai, P. (2016). Antioxidant Systems in Poultry Biology: Superoxide Dismutase. Animal Nutrition, 1, 8. https://doi.org/10.21767/2572-5459.100008
Surapaneni, K. M., & Venkataramana, G. (2007). Status of lipid peroxidation, glutathione, ascorbic acid, vitamin E and antioxidant enzymes in patients with osteoarthritis. Indian Journal of Medical Sciences, 61(1), 9-14.
Svirbely, J. L., & Szent-Györgyi, A. (1933). The chemical nature of vitamin C. Biochemical Journal, 27(1), 279-285.
Tan, P. H., Sagoo, P., Chan, C., Yates, J. B., Campbell, J., Beutelspacher, S. C., Foxwell, B. M., Lombardi, G., & George, A. J. (2005). Inhibition of NF-kappa B and oxidative pathways in human dendritic cells by antioxidative vitamins generates regulatory T cells. Journal of Immunology, 174(12), 7633-7644. https://doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.174.12.7633
Thompson, D., Williams, C., Garcia-Roves, P., McGregor, S. J., McArdle, F., & Jackson, M. J. (2003). Post-exercise vitamin C supplementation and recovery from demanding exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol, 89(3-4), 393-400. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-003-0816-4
Valente, A., Gonçalves Albuquerque, T., Sanches-Silva, A., & Costa, H. (2011). Ascorbic Acid Content in Exotic Fruits: A Contribution to Produce Quality Data for Food Composition Databases. Food Research International, 44, 2237-2242. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2011.02.012
Yen, G.-C., Duh, P.-D., & Tsai, H.-L. (2002). Antioxidant and pro-oxidant properties of ascorbic acid and gallic acid. Food Chemistry, 79(3), 307-313. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/S0308-8146(02)00145-0
Zou, W., Yue, P., Lin, N., He, M., Zhou, Z., Lonial, S., Khuri, F. R., Wang, B., & Sun, S. Y. (2006). Vitamin C inactivates the proteasome inhibitor PS-341 in human cancer cells. Clin Cancer Res, 12(1), 273-280. https://doi.org/10.1158/1078-0432.Ccr-05-0503
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Aleksandra Durzyńska, Patryk Gutowski, Katarzyna Drozdowska, Katarzyna Żołądkiewicz, Agnieszka Słojkowska
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
The periodical offers access to content in the Open Access system under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0
Stats
Number of views and downloads: 192
Number of citations: 0
