Antioxidant supplementation during exercise training: beneficial or detrimental?

Abstract in brief

• Antioxidant supplements during exercise can reduce oxidative stress but may not always improve muscle damage or performance, and current research mostly consists of small, low-quality studies.
• While antioxidants can blunt some of the positive adaptations from exercise, such as improvements in vasodilation and insulin signaling, they might also interfere with essential biological processes that rely on reactive oxygen species (ROS).
• More research is needed to develop clear guidelines, but the best proven strategy remains maintaining a balanced diet to ensure sufficient intake of vitamins and minerals to support natural antioxidant defenses.