16/08/2025
🏋🏼♀️💪🏼 Heavy Training & Vitamin C: Why It Matters
You might think your muscles are the only thing working hard during intense workouts—but your antioxidant system is getting a serious workout too! 💥
Every time you push your body to the limit, it produces free radicals, unstable molecules that can damage cells. Vitamin C is one of your body’s key defenders, helping to neutralise these molecules, support your immune system, and repair collagen, essential for keeping muscles, joints, and even skin healthy.
What happens when you train hard:
• Vitamin C gets used up faster
• Low levels may slow recovery
• Heavy or prolonged exercise can temporarily overload your antioxidant defences, which may lead to:
• Mental fatigue
• Reduced focus or slower reaction time
• Increased inflammation in the brain
The research backs it up:
Endurance and high-intensity training can lower plasma vitamin C levels. Supplementing with 250–1,000 mg per day can help maintain your levels and reduce oxidative stress.
Practical ways to protect your body:
🍊 Fill your plate with vitamin C-rich foods like citrus, berries, kiwi, peppers, and leafy greens (30-100mg of Vitamin C per serving)
💊 If training is intense, consider targeted supplementation
⏰ Taking vitamin C around workouts may support recovery and performance (split the dose. Avoid high dose pre exercise!)
The takeaway: Heavy training increases your vitamin C needs. Fuel your body wisely—through diet and, if needed, supplements—to stay strong, recover faster, and keep your immunity up.
References:
1. Montero et al., 2013 – plasma vitamin C drops after intense exercise
2. Peake et al., 2007 – vitamin C reduces oxidative stress markers
