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Definition: "An ergogenic aid is any substance or phenomenon that enhances performance "
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23.11.2013 |
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Vitamin C strengthens muscles in the elderly
The more vitamin C there is in your blood as you age, the stronger your muscles will be, report Japanese epidemiologists in the Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences. The Japanese data suggest that not only foods that are rich in vitamin C, but also supplements containing vitamin C can help maintain strength in the muscles of the elderly.
The researchers then assessed the women's physical functioning. One aspect they looked at was the women's handgrip strength. They noticed that this strength was significantly greater the more vitamin C there was in the women's blood.
The number of seconds that the women were able to stand on one leg was also greater in the group with high levels of vitamin C in their blood.
"However, the statistical adjustment for fruit intake did not attenuate the relationship between plasma vitamin C and physical performance, suggesting that vitamin C did have some beneficial effects independently of other nutrients", the researchers write.
That would mean that vitamin C supplements might also play a role in muscle maintenance in the elderly. The Japanese then searched the literature for confirmation of this theory, but did not find any supporting evidence. For every study in which vitamin C supplementation stimulated muscle growth or strength, there was one in which vitamin C had no or even a negative effect.
Animal studies have shown that elderly lab rats build up more muscle strength through a training programme if they are also given extra vitamin C and E in their food. In 2009 Canadian researchers discovered a similar effect in a human study. They discovered that elderly people who do weight training build up more muscle mass if they also take vitamin C and E.
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