Does Vitamin C Help Muscle Soreness and Repair?

Check out this answer from Consensus:

Vitamin C supplementation appears to offer some modest benefits in reducing oxidative stress and muscle soreness immediately after exercise, particularly with prolonged use. However, it does not significantly impact muscle damage markers or enhance overall muscle recovery and function. The combination of Vitamins C and E may provide additional benefits in reducing oxidative stress and inflammation, but it does not substantially improve muscle soreness or recovery outcomes.

The potential benefits of Vitamin C supplementation for muscle soreness and repair have been a topic of interest in sports and exercise science. This synthesis aims to evaluate the effects of Vitamin C on muscle soreness, muscle damage, oxidative stress, and recovery following exercise, based on findings from multiple research studies.

Key Insights

• Reduction in Muscle Soreness and Oxidative Stress:
  • Vitamin C supplementation can reduce muscle soreness and oxidative stress markers immediately after exercise, but the effects are modest and short-lived1 3 4.
  • Prolonged supplementation with Vitamin C has shown some beneficial effects on muscle soreness and oxidative stress, particularly in reducing lipid peroxidation and interleukin-6 levels3 4 5.
• No Significant Impact on Muscle Damage and Recovery:
  • Several studies indicate that Vitamin C supplementation does not significantly affect markers of muscle damage such as creatine kinase and myoglobin, nor does it improve muscle function or recovery2 6 7 8 9.
  • Acute Vitamin C supplementation before exercise does not seem to provide significant benefits in reducing muscle damage or soreness compared to placebo2 9 10.
• Combined Supplementation with Vitamin E:
  • The combination of Vitamins C and E has been shown to attenuate oxidative stress and inflammatory responses, but it does not significantly reduce muscle soreness or improve muscle strength and recovery5 6 10.

Does Vitamin C help muscle soreness and repair?

Anitra Carr has answered Uncertain

An expert from University of Otago in Vitamin C

Not sure if vitamin C helps with muscle soreness and repair. Vitamin C is readily taken up by muscle tissue [1], however, it is found in relatively low concentrations in skeletal muscle, therefore, not sure if it plays a major role in this tissue.

Reference:

1.       Carr AC, Bozonet SM, Pullar JM, Simcock JW, Vissers MC. Human skeletal muscle ascorbate is highly responsive to changes in vitamin C intake and plasma concentrations. Am J Clin Nutr. 2013;97(4):800-7.

Does Vitamin C help muscle soreness and repair?

Steve Kearns has answered Likely

An expert from Galway University Hospitals in Orthopedics

Yes muscle is protected by antioxidant supplementation. Vitamin C is taken up by white blood cells and by muscle endothelium. It has been shown to reduce muscle injury from Ischaemia reperfusion and sepsis. In a recent study it protected athletes participating in high intensity sports.