Radicals Affect Performance! by Gregg Swanson ISSA,NSCA - Page 1

I hope the title of the article captured you attention. I’m not making light of the current world situation, but sometimes a little humor can help. Let me tell you though, when it comes to free radicals and our body I am very serious. I’ve been involved in the fitness/wellness industry for over a decade and have had the pleasure and honor to be associated with some of the world’s best strength and conditioning coaches like Ian King (www.kingsports.net ). The subject of athletic performance and nutritional supplementation along with the free-radical/antioxidant debate has been a focal point for research for some time. The following article is based on published studies, scientific research and self-observation. At times the information will become a bit “scientific” so get some NoDoz and a highlighter for that “special” information. With out further ado here we go …

I have paid particularly close attention to research as it relates to athletes and athletic performance. Why? Because during a training session or competitive event, the athlete’s oxygen uptake (VO2) increases, resulting in an increase in free-radical production (2, 3, 8). Due to this increase athletes may have increased their antioxidant requirements in comparison with their sedentary counterparts. In a recent study an increase in free-radical production was exhibited after aerobic and weight training (25, 27, 33-35). Hey I warned you about the scientific stuff …

Free Radicals … I thought they were only in foreign countries

Free radicals (no .. not those kind) are produced when the body processes oxygen. As the body processes the oxygen, approximately 2-4% of it results in the generation of oxygen-free radicals (11, 19, 22). Free radicals could be thought of as violent lightning bolts that have the ability to rip through the cells, destroying everything in their path (wow, that sounds painful!) The body does have its own natural defense to counteract oxidative damage to cells (2, 23, 31), but whether these naturally produced antioxidants are enough for the weekend to elite athlete is debatable (8, 21, 34). One of the crucial ironies for athletes is that their high VO2, which is a necessity for aerobic energy production, also forms substances that can potentially harm human tissue (8, 23). So where does this leave the athlete and what can be done about free radical damage?