Could the beloved Vitamin C be un-doing all the hard work and energy you put into your workout session?
Vitamin C is an antioxidant, and antioxidants reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, which is a good thing, right?
Only sometimes, because context is everything!!
If you work out, chances are you're looking to build muscle and stay healthy, whether your building stronger glutes, having a nicer six-pack, or trying to reverse your biological age.
Exercise causes inflammation.
Here's how it works:
When you exercise, your muscle tissues experience microdamage and mechanical stress. This activates inflammatory molecules called ROS (Reactive Oxygen Species). Once your body senses these ROS, it activates different pathways to stimulate new proteins and the repair process for damaged muscle tissue. Which is what we are looking for right?
The thing is, Vitamin C inhibits oxidative damage. So if you're consuming high amounts of vitamin C post-workout, whether it's a smoothie filled with greens and fruit or maybe you're having a bunch of sweet potatoes, which are all healthy options, you could be potentially reversing too much of the oxidative damage for any real and lasting gains to happen.
My advice? Wait 4-6 hours after a workout before consuming more significant amounts of vitamin C rich foods. That way, you can harmonize the inflammation needed to improve the function of your muscles during and after your workouts!
There you have it!
A true and simple way to increase your return on investment from your workouts.
Stay strong,
The Body Master
