SynthesisEuropean journal of nutrition2020
Effects of vitamin C on oxidative stress, inflammation, muscle soreness, and strength following acute exercise: meta-analyses of randomized clinical trials.
Synthesis in European journal of nutrition, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 42 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
42 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 77 citations in OpenAlex.
- Effects of Mitoquinone (MitoQ) Supplementation on Aerobic Exercise Performance and Oxidative Damage: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.Sports medicine - open · 2024Pooled it
- Antioxidants Supplementation During Exercise: Friends or Enemies for Cardiovascular Homeostasis?Journal of cardiovascular translational research · 2023Pooled it
- The Association between Dietary Inflammatory Index and Aging Biomarkers/Conditions: A Systematic Review and Dose-response Meta-analysis.The journal of nutrition, health & aging · 2023Pooled it
- Association between Four Dietary Patterns and the Risk of Periodontal Diseases: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Nutrients · 2022Pooled it
- Promising traditional Indian medicinal plants for the management of novel Coronavirus disease: A systematic review.Phytotherapy research : PTR · 2021Pooled it
- Acute ingestion of snake fruit jelly improves glycemic response, enhances endurance performance and antioxidant defense, and reduces inflammatory markers in healthy adults.Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition · 2025Trial
- Trial
- Effect of six weeks 1000 mg/day vitamin C supplementation and healthy training in elderly women on genes expression associated with the immune response - a randomized controlled trial.Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition · 2021Trial
- Effect of C242T Polymorphism in the Gene Encoding the NAD(P)H Oxidase p22International journal of environmental research and public health · 2020Trial
- The association between the planetary health diet index (PHDI) and muscular dystrophies: A mediating role of phenotypic age.Medicine · 2026Article
- The Effect of Whey Peptides and Micronutrients on Improving Exercise Performance in Mice.Nutrients · 2026Article
- Association between composite dietary antioxidant index and pulmonary function in middle-aged and older adults: results from two population-based studies.BMJ nutrition, prevention & health · 2026Article
- The triad of collagen, vitamin C, and vitamin E in aging: emerging roles in mood and psychological health, neurotrophic support, cognitive function, endurance, and sarcopenia.Frontiers in nutrition · 2026Review
- Low Vitamin D and C Levels are Associated with Increased Disease Activity in Jordanian RA and SLE Patients: A Case-Control StudyEndocrine, metabolic & immune disorders drug targets · 2026Article
- Diet and Lifestyle Interventions in Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease: A Comprehensive Review.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Review
- Protective role of apilarnil against intense exercise-induced liver injury in rats: serological and histopathological evidence.Veterinary research forum : an international quarterly journal · 2025Article
- Joint association of anti-inflammatory diet and vigorous leisure-time physical activity on all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality in U.S. adults: findings from NHANES, 2007-2014.European journal of nutrition · 2024Article
- Not Only Protein: Dietary Supplements to Optimize the Skeletal Muscle Growth Response to Resistance Training: The Current State of Knowledge.Journal of human kinetics · 2024Review
- Article
- Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundVitamin C (ascorbic acid) seems to attenuate the overproduction of reactive species during and after exercises. Yet, no meta-analysis has summarized the magnitude of this effect. The objective of this study was to systematically review the effects of vitamin C supplementation on oxidative stress, inflammatory markers, damage, soreness, and the musculoskeletal functionality after a single bout of exercise.
methodsMajor electronic databases were searched, from inception to September 2019, for placebo-controlled randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that evaluated the effects of vitamin C supplementation on oxidative stress parameters, inflammation markers, muscle damage, muscle soreness, and muscle functionality after a single bout of exercise in healthy volunteers. Random-effects modelling was used to compare mean changes from pre- to postexercise in participants that were supplemented with vitamin C versus placebo. Data were reported as standard mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI).
resultsA total of 18 RCTs, accounting for 313 participants (62% males, median age = 24 years) were included. Vitamin C supplementation reduced lipid peroxidation immediately (SMD = - 0.488; 95% CI = - 0.888 to - 0.088), 1 h (SMD = - 0.521; 95% CI = - 0.911 to - 0.131) and between 1 and 2 h (SMD = - 0.449; 95% CI = - 0.772 to - 0.126) following exercise. Exercise induced interleukin-6 (IL-6) response was attenuated 2 h (SMD = - 0.764; 95% CI = - 1.279 to - 0.248) and between 1 and 2 h (SMD = - 0.447; 95% CI = - 0.828 to - 0.065) after exercise. No effects of vitamin C supplementation were found on creatine kinase (CK), C-reactive protein (CRP), cortisol levels, muscle soreness, and muscle strength.
conclusionVitamin C supplementation attenuates the oxidative stress (lipid peroxidation) and inflammatory response (IL-6) to a single bout of exercise. REGISTRATION: PROSPERO (CRD42018094222).
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.