Vitamin C and E Treatment Blunts Sprint Interval Training–Induced Changes in Inflammatory Mediator-, Calcium-, and Mitochondria-Related Signaling in Recreationally Active Elderly Humans

Abstract

Sprint interval training (SIT) has emerged as a time-efficient training regimen for young individuals. Here, we studied whether SIT is effective also in elderly individuals and whether the training response was affected by treatment with the antioxidants vitamin C and E. Recreationally active elderly (mean age 65) men received either vitamin C (1 g/day) and vitamin E (235 mg/day) or placebo. Training consisted of nine SIT sessions (three sessions/week for three weeks of 4-6 repetitions of 30-s all-out cycling sprints) interposed by 4 min rest. Vastus lateralis muscle biopsies were taken before, 1 h after, and 24 h after the first and last SIT sessions. At the end of the three weeks of training, SIT-induced changes in relative mRNA expression of reactive oxygen/nitrogen species (ROS)- and mitochondria-related proteins, inflammatory mediators, and the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ channel, the ryanodine receptor 1 (RyR1), were blunted in the vitamin treated group. Western blots frequently showed a major (>50%) decrease in the full-length expression of RyR1 24 h after SIT sessions; in the trained state, vitamin treatment seemed to provide protection against this severe RyR1 modification. Power at exhaustion during an incremental cycling test was increased by ~5% at the end of the training period, whereas maximal oxygen uptake remained unchanged; vitamin treatment did not affect these measures. In conclusion, treatment with the antioxidants vitamin C and E blunts SIT-induced cellular signaling in skeletal muscle of elderly individuals, while the present training regimen was too short or too intense for the changes in signaling to be translated into a clear-cut change in physical performance.

Antioxidants and Exercise Performance: With a Focus on Vitamin E and C Supplementation

“…More importantly, despite the potential impairment of some cellular adaptations involved in mitochondrial biogenesis and antioxidant defenses, there are no data available that the combined 1 g/day of vitamin C and 400 IU/day vitamin E supplementation have a negative effect on VO 2 max or endurance performance. Wyckelsma et al [ 73 ] investigated effects of a 4-week supplementation of vitamin E (235 mg/day) in combination with vitamin C (1 g/day) on several markers of training adaptations and exercise performance in elderly adults following a 3-week sprint interval training on a cycle ergometer. The results showed blunted changes in mRNA expression of ROS-related, inflammatory, and mitochondria proteins in the vitamin groups versus placebo while no significant differences were found in VO 2max and maximal power out.…”

Redox-related biomarkers in physical exercise

“…In the second study, a double-blind, randomized controlled study, supplementation with vitamin C and E hampered cellular adaptations to endurance training in young recreationally endurance‐trained individuals [ 83 ]. Similarly, in the third study, it was found that Vitamin C and E treatment blunts the High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)-induced changes in calcium and in the mRNA expression of mitochondria-related proteins in recreationally active individuals [ 84 ]. Finally, in the fourth study, again a HIIT protocol was tested.…”

Vitamin C and E Treatment Blocks Changes in Kynurenine Metabolism Triggered by Three Weeks of Sprint Interval Training in Recreationally Active Elderly Humans

“…The volunteers in this study and training protocols have been described before [ 26 ]. Briefly, recreationally active male older adults (65.3 ± 1.5 years; n = 20) participated in the study; none of the participants were engaged in any structured sport training program but undertook approximately of 4–5 h of exercise a week upon enrolment into the study.…”

“…Training consisted of nine sessions (three sessions a week for three weeks). Each session consisted of a warm-up followed by 4–6 repetitions of 30 s all-out cycling bouts (Wingate tests) with 4 min of rest between bouts [ 26 , 35 ]. A cycle ergometer with continuous power recording was used to quantify the amount of work produced during each SIT session.…”

“…Physical exercise is known to have a positive influence on ageing by reducing chronic low-grade inflammation and negative ROS-induced effects [ 21 ]. Intriguingly, the production of ROS is increased during health promoting endurance exercise [ 22 , 23 ] and antioxidant treatment has been shown to reduce beneficial effects of endurance training [ 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 ], although other studies report no blunting of exercise-induced adaptations by antioxidant treatment [ 28 , 29 ].…”