C vitamine(Ascorbic acid)

Ascorbic acid is hydrosolubile vitamine that is present in cytosol in extracellular area. Comparing to all other nutrients, still the biggest interess area remains for C vitamin, amongst, due to interactions with many immune system defensive mechanisms. C vitamine concentration in adrenal gland cortex is higher than in any other organ. So it is thought that adrenal cortex can be the main source of vitamine C efluxe in circulation, during training.

Vitamine C directly reduces peroxide radicals, and indirectly other free radicals, by regeneratin α – tocopherol(E vitamine). Benefitions of C vitamine as an antioxidant are specially interesting, due to wide usage of this vitamine as a supplement, just as the possibility of tolerance of very high vitamine intake, without toxic elements expression. These tolerance is explained through hydrosolubility of this vitamine, and relatively quick digestion and excretion.

However, in some researches it is shown that excess amounts intake(5-10g) can cause unwished effects, like: diarrhea, giht and joint pain, stone in kidneys, destruction of diet vitamine B₁₂  and excessive loss of B₆ vitamine.

There are some suggestions that ascorbic acid could influent on degree of thermal adaption, which can be especially important in long term sport activity, in terms of high temperature.

In good measured terms, it was not conduced that supplementation with C vitamine increases sport performance at athletes.

RDA for this vitamine is 60mg. Some authors think that athletes should enter 200-300mg of this vitamine per day, which is usually done with increased energy intake and balanced diet.

Generally, vitamine C intake at most athletes is satisfactory. Deficit can be manifested at athletes where low energy intake according to real needs exists.

Vitamine C suppresses iron absorption. There are data that too big intake of this vitamine(supplementation) may lead to toxic effects of iron due to too big absorption.

“Athletes’ nutrition”, Marina Djordjevic Nikic