Evidence supporting the use of: Vitamin C (Ascorbate)
For the health condition: Body Building

Links: Go back one page, Tool main page, Ingredients list, Health conditions list, Body systems list

Synopsis

Source of validity: Scientific
Rating (out of 5): 2

Vitamin C (ascorbate) is used in bodybuilding primarily due to its role as an antioxidant and its involvement in collagen synthesis. Scientifically, vitamin C helps reduce oxidative stress caused by intense physical activity, which may aid in muscle recovery. It also plays a role in the synthesis of collagen, a protein necessary for the health of connective tissues, tendons, and ligaments, which are important for athletes and bodybuilders. Some studies indicate that vitamin C supplementation can reduce markers of muscle damage and soreness after strenuous exercise, potentially aiding in recovery. However, evidence is mixed, and high-dose vitamin C supplementation immediately after resistance training may blunt some of the beneficial adaptations to exercise, such as muscle hypertrophy, due to its antioxidant properties interfering with cellular signaling involved in muscle growth. Overall, while vitamin C is important for general health and may help with recovery and connective tissue maintenance, its direct impact on muscle growth or strength in bodybuilders is not strongly supported by high-quality evidence. Therefore, its use in bodybuilding is partially justified by scientific evidence, mainly for recovery and tissue health, but not for performance enhancement or muscle hypertrophy.

More about Vitamin C (Ascorbate)
More about Body Building

Products containing Vitamin C (Ascorbate)

We currently have no products on Vitabase that contain this ingredient.