Boosting endurance with antioxidants -
However, it is also well-established that low levels of antioxidants within the blood are associated with increased risks of death. For example, an older study from conducted on almost 3, men in Switzerland found that overall cancer mortality was associated with lower plasma levels of carotenes and vitamin C , such that being in the lowest quartile for antioxidant intake could increase disease risk by almost a factor of three.
Higher plasma levels of lycopene, an antioxidant found in tomatoes, are associated with a decreased risk of prostate cancer.
This is curious; we clearly need antioxidants within our bloodstream to keep us healthy, but antioxidant supplementation appears to be unhealthy, or at best neutral. Why is this? Well, as with most things, the dose makes the poison.
Antioxidant supplements tend to contain doses of antioxidants far higher than what would naturally be found. For example, in one of the vitamin E studies above, it was high-dose vitamin E supplementation that was unhealthy.
Supra-physiological doses of antioxidants, in the form of supplements, appear to be at best neutral in terms of health.
However, antioxidants from natural sources appear to be healthful, in part because the doses are kept low. In addition to this, antioxidants from food often come with complementary nutrients, which can synergistically work to improve health.
High-dose antioxidant supplements often come with few additional nutrients, which in turn can increase the amount of ROS present in the body, causing further damage—as illustrated by the potential increase in mortality seen in the high-dose antioxidant supplementation trials.
This is further evidenced by the protective effect of higher intakes of vegetables and fruits foods that contain the greatest amount of antioxidants on both cancer and all-cause mortality risk.
Studies one , two , three , four , five , six , and seven. Having looked at general health, the next step is to examine antioxidant requirements of athletes, who are engaged in regular physical activity.
It would be tempting to assume that, because exercise increases the amount of oxidative stress, athletes require a greater amount of antioxidants to buffer this.
But is that correct? The evidence tends to suggest that exercise, both through skeletal muscle contraction and also cellular respiration, does increase the amount of ROS that form.
If the body cannot buffer these ROS, they will cause damage, and the more prolonged or intense the exercise, the greater the damage that occurs. However, ROS also serve as important signals for adaptation.
They signal for an increase in gene expression , for example, and mediate many of the adaptations following exercise, particularly those that occur within the mitochondria. Exercise itself, and the ROS that form during it, also increase the capacity of antioxidant enzymes, such that individuals who are engaged in regular exercise are better at dealing with oxidative stress than sedentary individuals.
We can consider that, while exercise promotes oxidative stress, this oxidative stress is crucial for adaptation, and one of the adaptations that occurs following exercise is a greater ability to buffer oxidative stress.
It does appear logical, given that exercise increases oxidative stress, that a greater intake of antioxidant nutrients would support exercise recovery. This is where things start to get interesting. Remember that I previously mentioned that oxidative stress is an important stimulator of exercise adaptations.
Well, it follows that when taking in high doses of antioxidants, these signals will be blunted. This is why a number of research papers find that high-dose antioxidant supplementation decreases exercise-induced adaptations.
For example, one study showed that 1g per day of vitamin C the equivalent of around 14 oranges , reduced some of the beneficial effects of aerobic training. High-dose vitamin C and E supplementation has also been shown to reduce the health benefits of exercise. Note, however, that antioxidant supplementation did not improve training adaptations, again indicating that it is perhaps, at best, neutral.
The two biggest review articles on the subject shed some further light on the evidence. The first of these, published in , concludes that the consistent research finding is that antioxidant supplementation reduces exercise-induced oxidative stress, but that high-dose supplementation blunts exercise-induced adaptations.
A second review, from , adds further context. Here, the authors examined 12 studies published between and Of these 12, seven reported no effect positive or negative on exercise adaptation.
Two reported that antioxidant supplementation reduced exercise adaptation, with two showing the opposite—that antioxidant supplementation improved exercise adaptation. The last study only contained partial results. The interesting aspect from this second review article was the different dosages between the trials.
When antioxidant supplementation occurred at high doses e. When it was at low doses e. The key thing here, for me, is that these low dosages are easily achievable from food. For example, mg vitamin C is around g of sweet pepper and g of broccoli. However, that ignores the context of that person.
For example, in competition, the only goal is performance, not adaptation. And research tends to indicate that, in a competitive setting, antioxidant supplementation likely does have a beneficial effect on performance. To demonstrate this, a review article from found that supplementation with antioxidants such as vitamin E, quercetin, resveratrol, beetroot juice, polyphenols, and n-acetyl-cysteine all potentially have performance-enhancing effects on endurance exercise performance.
This all makes sense: Exercise does increase ROS, and they can cause damage that can reduce exercise performance. While this damage is useful in terms of exercise adaptation, it is a negative if it reduces exercise performance acutely.
This nicely demonstrates the importance of context. When looking to adapt, antioxidant supplements are likely unnecessary, but when looking to compete—when absolute performance is important—antioxidant supplementation may have a role to play.
When taken for short periods of time, it seems unlikely that these supplements will have a negative effect on health. During my athletic career, there were other occasions when I was directed to supplement with antioxidants. One was before the Beijing Olympics in , when the medical team was concerned that the high levels of atmospheric pollutants and smog might cause us negative health consequences.
Research does tend to suggest that acute antioxidant supplementation might protect against environmental pollutants , and given the pre-competition timing and short duration of supplementation, this might be a beneficial practice.
Other occasions were during high risk periods of immune-suppression, such as post-competition, or during air travel the two often come together.
Here, the research is perhaps a bit less clear: A recent consensus statement seems to indicate that antioxidant supplements have no effect on immune function , and this is supported by research in non-athletic populations.
However, being pragmatic, there once again appear to be no negative side effects to this if it occurs infrequently and for a short time period. Another situation in which there might be a role to play for antioxidant supplementation is when an athlete is restricting food in an attempt to lose weight, as they may be unable to consume sufficient nutrients from the foods they are eating.
The potassium, fiber, and B6 in bananas help restore lost electrolytes and balance hydration. This food for endurance has some anti-inflammatory properties, too, helping you recover faster from your physical training.
These tiny seeds pack in a lot of nutrition and are a good addition to your meals. Chia seeds are nutrient-dense superfoods full of fiber, healthy fats, antioxidants, protein, calcium, and iron.
Chia seeds also contain soluble and insoluble fiber which holds onto water, slowly releasing it during digestion to supply long-term hydration and energy for improved athletic performance. These berries are extremely rich in antioxidants for a boost in energy and recovery.
This food for endurance has amino acids that support strength, endurance, energy production, and muscle performance. Quinoa also offers a complete protein , containing all the essential amino acids the body needs to build and repair muscle. The spice found in curry carries some powerful antioxidants that can help ease pain, protect the body from damage, and reduce inflammation.
This food for endurance is very good for recovering from your physical training. The intake of this odd tropical fruit is beneficial to your health because camu camu contains high amounts of Vitamin C, beta-carotene, potassium, and protein.
Protein, for example, is a crucial nutrient the human body needs. One of its major roles is to enhance endurance performance and speed up recovery when consumed in the right amounts after prolonged workouts. This Himalayan tree is a true superfood.
The leaves contain all the essential amino acids along with rich amounts of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, iron, calcium, potassium, and B vitamins. Moringa boosts stamina and strength, speeds up recovery, and replaces lost electrolytes.
Carrots are a rich source of Vitamins A and E. Vitamin E plays a role in the efficient use of oxygen and in the transportation of blood to muscles.
This food that increases endurance is also rich in fiber, antioxidants, and some complex carbs. Coconut oil is rich in medium-chain triglycerides. These good fats are shorter and more easily used by the body, so they are burned instead of stored to provide a boost to endurance. Coconut also combats infection and reduces inflammation.
Try applying it externally to ease sore muscles and joints and internally for energy, endurance, and a speedier recovery. Brown rice is another grain that supplies the body with fiber, complex carbohydrates, antioxidants, proteins, and healthy fat for long-term energy.
Sprouted seeds, nuts, and grains contain fewer phytates and enzyme inhibitors—compounds that plant foods use to resist digestion.
Sprouted foods are more easily digested, and that nutrition is more available for the body to put to use as energy, repair muscle damage, and build muscle. You do want some sodium, though, if you are working out hard.
Try coconut water with a dash of sea salt, a little lime, and maybe a small amount of a natural sweetener.
Discover this amazing fruit that can increase your energy and endurance in this video from Sunwarrior:. Consuming the right foods for endurance not only helps increase your muscular strength and endurance but also provides many other essential vitamins and minerals your body can take advantage of.
The list of foods above is entirely plant-based, which means they are safer and healthier for your overall health. What other plant-based foods for endurance can you share with us? Leave them in the comments section below!
Popular Searches: Cancel. Food for Endurance: What to Eat to Aid Body Tolerance. What Is Endurance? Why Endurance and Muscular Strength Are Important.
These two body features are essential for the following reasons: Let you add new physical activities to your workout program Provide you with a sense of accomplishment Enhance self-confidence and how you feel about your well-being Lead to stronger and healthier bones and muscles Help you maintain a healthy weight Lower the risk of injury Increase your ability to perform various physical activities Things to Avoid to Enhance Endurance 1.
Processed Foods These are packed with sodium and refined sugars while stripped of fiber and antioxidants. Over or Under Hydrate Hydration is important to endurance. Refined Sugar and Alcohol Refined sugar and alcohol are also a problem for endurance.
Avoid Last-Minute Intense Training. Barley This food for endurance was used by the Roman army and gladiators to fuel their long marches, competitions, and battles. Oatmeal Oats and other whole grains provide fiber, complex carbohydrates, and protein to supply a steady stream of energy.
Water Proper hydration is vital to fully activate endurance. Blueberries Most berries are packed with fiber and water to keep you hydrated.
Walnuts and Almonds. Cherries Cherries are rich in antioxidants that have been shown to reduce inflammation and ease muscle pain during recovery. Sweet Potatoes A sweet potato is an excellent source of complex carbohydrates paired with fiber for slow digestion, providing that ever crucial steady flow of nutrients.
RELATED: Increase Energy and Endurance with One Fruit that may Surprise You 8. Red Peppers Vitamin C is important to many functions of the body, including proper blood flow and the health of blood vessels.
Chia Seeds These tiny seeds pack in a lot of nutrition and are a good addition to your meals. Acai These berries are extremely rich in antioxidants for a boost in energy and recovery. Turmeric The spice found in curry carries some powerful antioxidants that can help ease pain, protect the body from damage, and reduce inflammation.
Camu Camu. Moringa This Himalayan tree is a true superfood. Carrots Carrots are a rich source of Vitamins A and E. Coconut Oil Coconut oil is rich in medium-chain triglycerides. Brown Rice Brown rice is another grain that supplies the body with fiber, complex carbohydrates, antioxidants, proteins, and healthy fat for long-term energy.
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