Research appearing in the Chinese journal, Di Yi Jun Yi Da Xue Xue Bao [2003; 23(9):892-4 (ISSN: 1000-2588)] to test the effect that antioxidant vitamins had on exercise performance. Rats were divided into five groups, a control group, an exercise control group, an exercise group given vitamin C alone, an exercise group given vitamin E alone, and an exercise group given a combination of vitamin C and E.
For four weeks the rats in the exercising groups were propelled for repeated exhausting runs on the treadmill. The groups given oral vitamin E in combination with vitamin C had improvements in body mass, total exercise treadmill length and increased mass of the quadriceps femoris after four weeks of exercise. The control groups and the groups taking vitamin C or vitamin E alone did not experience these improvements.
