Antioxidants Block Exercise Recovery. AOX e EXERCÍCIO. TOP

7/30/2019 Antioxidants Block Exercise Recovery. AOX e EXERCCIO. TOP

1/9

https://www.paleopharm.com/antioxidants-block-exercise-recovery-part-3/

Antioxidants Block Exercise

Recovery Part 1Posted by admin inSports Nutrition| 0 comments

Apr 16, 2012Its a rookie mistake made by a lot of fitness experts, pro athletes, and exercise

enthusiasts: taking popular antioxidants can hamper exercise recovery by mucking up the

bodys own natural antioxidant systems that evolution put in place hundreds of thousands of

years ago. For the last 30+ years, weekend and world-class athletes have blindly trusted the

questionable claims of dietary supplement marketers and self-proclaimed fitness gurus that

taking antioxidant supplements would prevent muscle damage, inflammation, and loss of

performance due to exercise-induced free radical damage.

Ive been involved in dietary supplement product development since the early 1980s and

developed a number of highly successful product concepts for Twinlab and TwinSport from

19852003. Such products can be quite lucrative for those who develop them and for those

companies that sell them. For example,just a single nutraceutical product concept I

developedin the early 1990s was one of the most successful in the companys 30-year history

and paid off my home mortgage.

So Im not surprised when I see everyone and his brother with a website hawking dietary

supplements. Theres big money to be made. Unfortunately, a number of the products Ive

reviewed are poorly designed, meaning they provide inappropriate doses or contain

questionable ingredients. Some are simply a waste of your money and wont live up to the

sellers claims, explicit or implicit.

Antioxidant supplements are among the most misunderstood and overused fitnesssupplements by exercise enthusiasts and elite athletes alike. Inappropriate use of certain

antioxidant supplements can nullify potential training improvements to those seeking optimized

fitness, free-radical protection, and a performance edge.

Ironically, its active people who are most vulnerable to the harmful effects of antioxidant

supplements. Most take them anyway because they believe the conventional wisdom that

foods and supplements with highORAC values are healthier and more protective than products

with lower ORAC values. ORAC values are more of a marketing tool than they are a valid

measure of how well a food, beverage, or supplement will quench reactive oxygen or nitrogen

species once inside your body. In my book,

ORAC = MARKETING HYPE
https://www.paleopharm.com/antioxidants-block-exercise-recovery-part-3/https://www.paleopharm.com/author/admin/https://www.paleopharm.com/nutraceuticals/sports-nutrition/https://www.paleopharm.com/nutraceuticals/sports-nutrition/https://www.paleopharm.com/nutraceuticals/sports-nutrition/https://www.paleopharm.com/antioxidants-block-exercise-recovery-part-1/#respondhttp://www.twinlab.com/product/choline-cocktail%E2%84%A2http://www.twinlab.com/product/choline-cocktail%E2%84%A2http://www.twinlab.com/product/choline-cocktail%E2%84%A2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxygen_radical_absorbance_capacityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxygen_radical_absorbance_capacityhttps://www.paleopharm.com/antioxidants-block-exercise-recovery-part-1/w.examiner.com/women-s-health-in-los-angeles/antioxidants-helpful-or-hype-fullhttps://www.paleopharm.com/antioxidants-block-exercise-recovery-part-3/https://www.paleopharm.com/author/admin/https://www.paleopharm.com/nutraceuticals/sports-nutrition/https://www.paleopharm.com/antioxidants-block-exercise-recovery-part-1/#respondhttp://www.twinlab.com/product/choline-cocktail%E2%84%A2http://www.twinlab.com/product/choline-cocktail%E2%84%A2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxygen_radical_absorbance_capacityhttps://www.paleopharm.com/antioxidants-block-exercise-recovery-part-1/w.examiner.com/women-s-health-in-los-angeles/antioxidants-helpful-or-hype-full


2/9

I speak with a number of professional athletes

who suffer from chronic systemic inflammation and muscle breakdown and

soreness who blame their condition on everything from eating too many carbs or too much fat

or dehydration or lack of certain minerals. The truth is that most are unknowingly overtraining,

which sets the stage for muscle damage and pain. Sometimes, taking antioxidant supplements

can make matters worse.

The first question I ask is:Are you taking megadose antioxidant supplements on a daily

basis? The answer is almost always, YES! The second question I ask is, Are you taking ironsupplements? Again, the answer is usually affirmative. Of all the conventional sports nutrition

supplements on the market, iron supplements would be at the top of my Do Not Take list.

There are rational uses for iron supplementswhen used in the proper contextbut certainly not

for quenching free radicals produced by moderate-to-heavy workouts. Often promoted as anti-

anemia pills, iron supplements could wind upworking against you, not for you.

Is The Free-Radical Theory of Aging Due For Retirement?

In 1982, exercise physiologists demonstrated that lab ratswhen

run to total exhaustionproduced lots of free radicals (reactive oxygen species, orROS) in

their skeletal muscle. Since then, sports fitness gurus and dietary supplement marketers havesold billions of dollars worth of antioxidant supplements promoted as free radical quenchers and

damage control compounds that protect our bodies from the destructive compounds made

during physical activity.

During that same year, a popularlife extension bookbased on Denham Harmons free-radical

theory of agingpromoted antioxidant supplements and firmly established them as an important

fitness tool in the minds of many athletes and exercise enthusiasts. Nutrition science has rapidly

progressed since Durk Pearson and Sandy Shaw first popularized antioxidant supplements in

the early 1980s. While free radical damage may play a role in aging, it is clearly not the only

contributor. Recent evidence supports the concept that phytonutrients (e.g., curcumin, EGCG,

fisetin, quercetin, resveratrol) not only prevent free radical damage but also exert even morepowerful protection through non-antioxidant actions. Many of the phytonutrients fitness gurus
http://www.paleopharm.com/is-your-multivitamin-could-turn-you-to-stone/http://www.paleopharm.com/is-your-multivitamin-could-turn-you-to-stone/http://www.amazon.com/Life-Extension-Practical-Scientific-Approach/dp/0446387355http://www.amazon.com/Life-Extension-Practical-Scientific-Approach/dp/0446387355http://www.amazon.com/Life-Extension-Practical-Scientific-Approach/dp/0446387355http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6291524http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6291524http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6291524http://www.paleopharm.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Vitamin-C-Bottle1.jpghttp://www.paleopharm.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Fish-Oil.jpghttp://www.paleopharm.com/is-your-multivitamin-could-turn-you-to-stone/http://www.amazon.com/Life-Extension-Practical-Scientific-Approach/dp/0446387355http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6291524http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6291524


3/9

believed were merely antioxidants are now understood to be quite capable of modulating gene

expression, and as such could represent a more effective means for preventing exercise-

induced damage to muscles and vital organs.

Although a number of armchair experts on various blogs promote such popular

antioxidants as vitamin C, vitamin E, and fish oil to reduce free radical damage during and after

exercise, biomedical researchers have yet to reach a clear consensus on the benefits of these

supplements. For example, see here,here,here, and here.

Today, the accumulated evidence of the last three decades has led me to conclude that

fitness gurus who promote antioxidant supplements seem to have ignored a large and growing

body of robust evidence that suggests that indiscriminately taking antioxidants for damage

control and health insurance could be counterproductive to exercise recovery and healing

from sports injuries.

Such supplements may paradoxically increase inflammation and muscle damage after

exercise and minimize or reduce expected exercise gains.

Antioxidants Block ExerciseRecovery Part 2

Posted by admin inSports Nutrition| 0 comments

Apr 15, 2012What Evolution Has Taught Us About ROS [continued fromPart 1]

Most contemporary sports nutritionists fail to appreciate that exercise-generated ROS play a

critical physiological role in the bodys adaptation to exercise. The last 100,000+ years of

evolution have equipped our cells with redundant antioxidant defense systems to deal with the

normal production of ROS during and after exercise.The collective research suggests that the continued presence of even low concentrations of

ROS in our muscle cells induces the robust expression of antioxidant enzymes and other

defense mechanisms in contracting muscle cells. The basis for this phenomenon is explained

by the concept ofhormesis, which essentially says that a low dose of a substance is stimulatory

and a high dose is inhibitory.

Put another way, a little stress is good for us.Exercise-driven hormesis explains why short

bouts of high-intensity interval exercise just a few times a week can provide fitness gains that

cannot be duplicated by spending an hour every day on a treadmill or stair climber.

As I mentioned, there is considerable debate regarding the questionable health effects of

different types of antioxidants in humans. This point of view is partly supported by thisstudy,this one, andthis one, which found detrimental effects of antioxidant
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18191748http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18191748http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19902983http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19866470http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21085043https://www.paleopharm.com/author/admin/https://www.paleopharm.com/nutraceuticals/sports-nutrition/https://www.paleopharm.com/nutraceuticals/sports-nutrition/https://www.paleopharm.com/nutraceuticals/sports-nutrition/https://www.paleopharm.com/antioxidants-block-exercise-recovery-part-2/#respondhttp://www.paleopharm.com/antioxidants-block-exercise-recovery-part-1/http://www.paleopharm.com/antioxidants-block-exercise-recovery-part-1/http://www.paleopharm.com/antioxidants-block-exercise-recovery-part-1/http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10919970http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12195028http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12195028http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15834665http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15834665http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12814711http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12814711http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12814711http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16217295http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16217295http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15464182http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15464182http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18191748http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19902983http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19866470http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21085043https://www.paleopharm.com/author/admin/https://www.paleopharm.com/nutraceuticals/sports-nutrition/https://www.paleopharm.com/antioxidants-block-exercise-recovery-part-2/#respondhttp://www.paleopharm.com/antioxidants-block-exercise-recovery-part-1/http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10919970http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12195028http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15834665http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12814711http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12814711http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16217295http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15464182


4/9

supplementationleading to increased rates of morbidity and mortality. Although each of

these studies has design flaws, they are nevertheless consistent with a larger body of research

that suggests antioxidant supplements must be taken in the proper form (especially important in

evaluating vitamin E studies) and context and that like any other ingested substance, including

water, they can be toxic.

The data call for more research before any definitive conclusions can be reached . I could

make a strong case against the findings of these studies, but for now, lets move on to the

primary concern of this post:

Do antioxidant supplements help or harm physically active folks?

How Much Do You Trust Supplement Marketers?

Almost all professional and amateur athletes Ive ever metsupplement their diets with high

levels of antioxidants. Most use the usual suspectsvitamin C, vitamin E, beta carotene, andfish oil.

Published studies showing clear cut effects on performance benefits, muscle function,

and exercise recovery of such antioxidant supplements are elusive . In fact, most studies

suggest quite the opposite: supplementary antioxidants can muck up our evolutionarily

conserved antioxidant defense systems put in place hundreds of thousands of years ago .

How ironic it is that a number of Paleo diet bloggers recommend and sell Neolithic antioxidant

supplements to the Paleo community. Just like doctors paid by Big Pharma to promote their

drugs, such bloggers advice should be viewed with an abundance of skepticism. The first

question I ask is: Cui bono? (To whose benefit?).

The Research TrailThe first study I found on antioxidants and exercise was apaper published in 1971, which

reported that taking vitamin E supplements (400 IU daily for 6 weeks) caused unfavorable

effects on endurance performance.

Eight years later I found another vitamin E studyshowing that in combination with selenium

(still a favorite combo among supplement promoters), the duo failed to improve swimming

performance in lab rats.

I began looking at other types of antioxidants and their effects on exercise . I found two

studies that showed harmful effects ofcoenzyme Q10 supplementation (another powerful

antioxidant like vitamin E) in humans who had undergone a high-intensity training program.

These two papers, published in 1996and1997, suggested that coQ10 supplements shouldpossibly be avoided by exercising humans.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/5571788http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/5571788http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/448449http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/448449http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9401591http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9401591http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8869734http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8869734http://www.paleopharm.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Mad-scientist3.jpghttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/5571788http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/448449http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9401591http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8869734


5/9

Two years later,a study of triathletes found no beneficial effect of coQ10 supplements on

maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max). Theoretically, this went against the conventional wisdom on

coQ10 because of its intimate involvement in mitochondrial ATP production. Why wouldnt

supplementary coQ10 be beneficial for athletes? I had already developed nutraceutical products

that contained coQ10. Was I actually jeopardizing my world-champion clients performances by

giving them hundreds of IUs of the compound?

A few years later, a seminal figure in antioxidant research, Lester Packer, found that a combo

ofvitamin E and alpha-lipoic aciddepressed the ability of rat muscle to contract when

stimulated by the kind of low frequencies that typically emanate from the sub-woofer in your car

and home stereo systems ( 40 Hz). I had developed sports nutrition products that contained

these two compounds. My concern was growing.

On the heels of Packers study, another group of researchers fed racing greyhounds 1 g of

vitamin C per day for 4 weeks. Hopefully, none of those geeks had any money on these dogs

because the supplement significantly slowed their racing speedsthe equivalent of a 3-meter

difference at the finish of a 500-m race. I kept thinking back to a study my major professor

showed me in graduate schoolone where supplements of vitamin C paradoxically generated

damaging free radicals (now a widely accepted autocatalytic effect of the vitamin). I foolishly

ignored the study because I had just met with Linus Pauling who persuaded me that vitamin C

protectednot harmedthe delicate cellular machinery in our mitochondria. I mean, the man had

discovered the nature of the chemical bonda cornerstone of contemporary chemistry and was

Nobeled twice. If you had been at that meeting with me, you might have been persuaded as

well.

What about the effectiveness of vitamin C supplements in suppressing post-exercise

muscle sorenesscould the conventional wisdom be wrong about that as well? I found a 2006

study that reported vitamin C supplementation (1 g for 14 days) did not attenuate musclesoreness after muscle-damaging exercise. Moreover, study investigators believed that vitamin

C supplementation probably delayed the exercise recovery process.

I did find research involving a popular supplement among bodybuilders (n-

acetylcysteine; NAC), which has been shown to increase the synthesis in the body of a key

antioxidant, glutathione. I found three studies that showed improvement in human tolerance to

different types of exercise when NAC supplements were used. You can find them here,here,

andhere. The fly-in-the-ointment with NAC is that theres one small, nagging mouse study that

found that NAC can trick the body into responding as if theres not enough oxygen in the blood

at least in lab animals. The results: pulmonary hypertensiona potentially fatal condition.

Theres a good chancethe studyisnt relevant to humansespecially since conflictingstudies suggest a protective or remedial effect of the compound in pulmonary hypertension. But

even the remotest possibility of getting pulmonary hypertension is enough to keep me from

taking NAC, especially because Ive found other safe and effective nutraceuticals that will

protect against exercise-induced muscle damage and soreness.

What You Need To Know

When lab rats or humans are exposed to regular exercise, the expression of antioxidant

enzymes and other enzymes critical to cell function are increased. Practically speaking,

exercise is powerful antioxidant.

A number of studies strongly suggest that ROS generated during exercise act as an

important signal to increase the production of enzymes vital during the adaptation of muscle
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10333091http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10333091http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11247943http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12042473http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16611389http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16611389http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7961253http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16025522http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16025522http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16025522http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15194675http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15194675http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17786245http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10333091http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11247943http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12042473http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16611389http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16611389http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7961253http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16025522http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15194675http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17786245


6/9

cells to exercise. These findings cast doubt on the wisdom of supplement marketers and fitness

gurus who recommend that we need to take such antioxidants as vitamin C, vitamin E, and fish

oil supplements to prevent free radical damage due to physical activity.

When lab rats and humans are fed antioxidants and then exercised, evolutionarily

conserved protective adaptations to free radical damage are abolished. See here andhere.

In contrast, certain nutraceuticals taken prior to exercise or competitionprovided such

exercise or competition is likely to be exhaustivecan effectively mitigate ROS production that

can lead to muscle damage and overwhelm cellular defensive mechanisms.

Antioxidants Block ExerciseRecovery Part 3

Posted by admin inSports Nutrition| 0 comments

Apr 14, 2012[continued from Part 1 and Part 2]

The facts reveal that while physical activity and athletic training lead to the natural generationof free radicals, such radicals cause significant cellular damageonly when such activity is

exhaustive. Most folks committed to a daily regimen of chronic cardio workouts like to think

theyre engaged in exhaustive activity (because they feel exhausted) but unless youre into

PaleoPharms recommended high-intensity interval training(HIIT) or training for marathons,

triathlons, or the other endurance events such as the Tour de France, youre probably not a

candidate for gulping down hundreds to thousands of milligrams of synthetic ascorbate and

other popular antioxidant supplements.

Natural compounds including black tea theaflavins, cocoa polyphenols,curcumin, green tea

extract,grape seed extract, L-ergothioneine,olive oil polyphenols,quercetin, resveratrol,

andsea buckthorncan mitigate exercise-related ROS (reactive oxygen species) muscledamage and optimize post-exercise glucose and lipid metabolism. Check the Sports

Nutritionsection of this site for regular updates on nutraceuticals and protocols optimized for

exercise protection and recovery.

The world champion athletes I counsel dont rely on the usual antioxidant suspects most

amateur and weekend athletes take becausewelltheyre for amateurs! Instead, they benefit

from taking synergistic nutraceuticals whose effectiveness is supported by science, not hype or

locker room lore.

For the vast majority of fitness buffs, run-of-the-mill antioxidant supplements work against

achieving fitness gains and mayprevent free radicals generated during exercise from doing
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15932896http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16923247http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16923247https://www.paleopharm.com/author/admin/https://www.paleopharm.com/nutraceuticals/sports-nutrition/https://www.paleopharm.com/nutraceuticals/sports-nutrition/https://www.paleopharm.com/nutraceuticals/sports-nutrition/https://www.paleopharm.com/antioxidants-block-exercise-recovery-part-3/#respondhttp://www.paleopharm.com/antioxidants-block-exercise-recovery-part-1/http://www.paleopharm.com/antioxidants-block-exercise-recovery-part-2/http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6291524http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6291524http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1443237http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1443237http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1443237http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16076142http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16614396http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21606866http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20484172http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20484172http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22118751http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22118751http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17295515http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19911007http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19800396http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19800396http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21606866http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21606866http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14970669http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14970669http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21953402http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21953402http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21953402http://www.paleopharm.com/nutraceuticals/sports-nutrition/http://www.paleopharm.com/nutraceuticals/sports-nutrition/http://www.paleopharm.com/nutraceuticals/sports-nutrition/http://www.paleopharm.com/nutraceuticals/sports-nutrition/http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6858698http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6858698http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15932896http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16923247https://www.paleopharm.com/author/admin/https://www.paleopharm.com/nutraceuticals/sports-nutrition/https://www.paleopharm.com/antioxidants-block-exercise-recovery-part-3/#respondhttp://www.paleopharm.com/antioxidants-block-exercise-recovery-part-1/http://www.paleopharm.com/antioxidants-block-exercise-recovery-part-2/http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6291524http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6291524http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1443237http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1443237http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16076142http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16614396http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21606866http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20484172http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22118751http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22118751http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17295515http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19911007http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19800396http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21606866http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14970669http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21953402http://www.paleopharm.com/nutraceuticals/sports-nutrition/http://www.paleopharm.com/nutraceuticals/sports-nutrition/http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6858698


7/9

what evolution intended them to do: promote gene expression of antioxidant proteins that will

protect them against free radical damage!

Mitochondrial Biogenesis: TheCurrency Of Optimized FitnessOne of the most important abilities of skeletal muscle to an athlete is its ability to expand

its mitochondrial density (mitochondrial biogenesis) in response to contraction (exercise).

In a2002 study, investigators examined how UPCs (uncoupling proteins which produce

wasted energy in skeletal muscle not used for muscle contraction) act asregulators of

mitochondrial ROS productiontoprevent oxidative damage to mitochondria. They hypothesized

that the primary ancestral function of uncoupling proteins is to diminish mitochondrial

superoxide production (a highly reactive free radical), thereby protecting against damage and

disease at the expense of a small loss of energy.

Revving up UPCs also helps burn off adipose tissue, which makes weight loss near effortless

because it happens at rest. Such nutraceuticals as green tea and apple extracts promote fat-

burning by increasing the production of UPCs in mitochondria. By doing so, these polyphenols

also provide protection against exercise-induced free radical damage.

Bottom line: For most active folks, exercise itself is the best antioxidant. Athletes and

serious amateur exercise enthusiasts engaged in exhaustive physical activity could benefit from

using an evidence-based nutraceutical protocol to prevent muscle damage, soreness, and rapid

recovery. Such a protocol should also be designed to promote mitochondrial

biogenesis and reduce biomarkers of systemic inflammation, including lipid oxidation

products and hsCRP (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein). Those PaleoPharm members

following Reprogram Yourself will notice a decline in inflammatory biomarkers by comparing

their before-and-afterblood panels.

Free Radical Tech-Talk (Non-Geeks Can Skip This Section)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6858698http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11181630http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12237311http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12237311http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12237311http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15304252http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15304252http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15304252http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16098826http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16098826http://www.paleopharm.com/reprogram-yourself-blood-panel/http://www.paleopharm.com/reprogram-yourself-blood-panel/http://www.paleopharm.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Cross-Section-Mitochondrion2.jpghttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6858698http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11181630http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12237311http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15304252http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15304252http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16098826http://www.paleopharm.com/reprogram-yourself-blood-panel/


8/9

Exercise-induced free radicals (ROS,

RONS) activate important cellular enzymes involved in antioxidant defense . They play a

vital role in cell signaling that lead to cell adaptation to exercise. For example, free radicals lead

to an increased expression of MAPKs (EKR 1, ERK 2), p38, and JNK that activate NF-B,which, in turn increases gene expression of such key protective proteins as eNOS, iNOS, and

Mn-SOD. Taking certain antioxidant supplements can abolish these and other protective effects,

hindering beneficial cell adaptations during exercise. Free radicals formed during exercise

activate DNA binding of NF-B in muscle. Taking allopurinol, a drug prescribed to treat gout, will

prevent DNA binding of NF-B. (Illustration available at:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15932896)

NF-B also controls changes in fuel metabolism during and following exercise by

promoting transcription of the IL-6 gene. IL-6 enhances glucose transport and lipid oxidation in

muscle. The role of IL-6 in glucose and fat metabolism is generally overlooked by the Paleo diet

community because many Paleo diet bloggers rail against it. IL-6 plays a dual role in health,

fitness, and disease: it can be beneficial or harmful. Again, it depends on context.

Our muscles evolved to adapt to exercise and there are redundant antioxidant systems in

place to protect against exercise-induced free radical damage. The conventional wisdom

proffered by dietary supplement marketers, fitness bloggers, and members of the Paleo

community could becounterproductiveto your recovery from exercise training and sports.

My Top 10 List of Nutraceuticals That Promote Exercise Recovery and Healing

If you engage in exhaustive physical activity, here is a list of nutraceuticals that may possibly

protect against exercise-induced ROS damage and delayed-onset muscle soreness.

Disclaimer: Check with your healthcare provider to determine if there is any reason you should

not take any of these compounds. Do not take them if you have an allergy to any of them or to

any food or dietary supplement that contains them. A number of these compounds may delay

the metabolism (inactivation) of certain prescription drugs in the same way that drinking

grapefruit juice or cranberry juice can prolong the time before a medication is metabolized by

your body.

Apple polyphenols

Black tea theaflavins

Cocoa polyphenols

Curcumin
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11813986http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11813986http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9518745http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15772055http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15772055http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15932896http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15932896http://www.paleopharm.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Xanthine-Oxidase1.pnghttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11813986http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9518745http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15772055http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15772055http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15932896


9/9

Green tea extract

Grape seed extract

L-ergothioneine

Olive leaf extract

Pterostilbene/Resveratrol

Quercetin

Documents

Antioxidants Block Exercise Recovery. AOX e EXERCÍCIO. TOP