Antioxidants and The Athlete

Exercise is how many people keep their bodies, minds and stress levels in reasonably good condition. For those who regularly compete in athletic events, exercise is a way of life. What many people do not realize is exercising also leads to the generation of an exceptionally large number of free radicals. On the other hand, regular, consistent exercise also appears to stimulate an increase in the body’s natural antioxidant defenses.

Exercise increases aerobic metabolism and oxygen utilization which lead to elevated levels of radical production. The longer and more intense our workouts are, the greater the number of radicals we produce. When the number of free radicals exceeds our body’s natural antioxidant defenses, damage to muscle tissue and our overall health can occur. These damages can affect both our exercise performance and our recovery time.

For many years researchers have debated the use of antioxidants for athletes. Studies on athletes with depleted or restricted antioxidants have shown that low antioxidant status does indeed have a distinct negative influence on how an athlete performs and recovers. These results would seem to support the need to supplement athletes with antioxidants — the majority of studies conducted on athletes who supplemented with antioxidants have had positive outcomes. It is interesting to note, however, that most of these studies have not shown a distinct positive effect on exercise performance itself; rather, it appears that antioxidants can play a role in athletic recovery and the protection of cellular DNA.

While there have been numerous and varying conclusions from research, both positive and negative, regarding the amount of antioxidants athletes should take—and even which types—this much is clear: antioxidants are unquestionably safe and can have a positive effect on an athlete’s ability to combat free radicals when used as directed on a daily basis. Exercise is an important part to staying healthy and strong. Unfortunately, one side effect of exercise is the creation of free radicals.

Free radicals are a part of life whether we exercise or not. For those who exercise as well as those who do not, free radicals can get to a point where the body’s defenses cannot meet the need. Eating healthy, making sure that we are eating enough fruits and vegetables, and supplementing with natural health products that provide antioxidants are good choices for anyone. Athlete or not, life is an event we are all trying to win and to do so we need to think smart, act smart and live smart. Taking in antioxidants as part of your daily diet is a very smart place to start.

Paul Carlotta is the leading expert in Market America and Nutraceuticals.  To learn more, visit http://www.isotonicvitamins.com today.