Get More from Your Workouts with Antioxidants

When you think about antioxidants, you probably think about benefits such as cancer prevention and slowing down the aging process. After all, there's a lot of evidence showing that such benefits are real. For example, in a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers tracked the incidence of lung cancer among a population of more than 46,000 men over ten years and found that those who ate the most carrots and tomatoes–rich sources of antioxidants known as carotenoids–had the lowest risk of lung cancer.

Did You Know?

Fewer people are aware that antioxidants also have benefits that are specific to exercise. During exercise, the muscles produce a type of free radicals called reactive oxygen species (ROS). These free radicals cause damage to the muscle cells, resulting in the feeling of soreness in the muscles that you sometimes notice the next day. Research has shown that exercisers who consume higher levels of antioxidants–in both foods and in certain supplements–experience less muscle damage during exercise and recover more quickly.

But Wait, There's More

Until recently, ROS were not believed to affect exercise performance, but sports scientists have now learned that they do in fact cause muscle fatigue by inhibiting the ability of muscle fibers to contract. What's more, certain antioxidants have been shown to protect the muscles against this effect and delay fatigue. The latest science suggests that you enjoy better workouts and wake up less sore the next day if you ensure you have enough antioxidants in your diet. Try EnergyFirst Antioxidant Complex or EnergyFirst Greenergy.