Cited by 118Exercise and Physiological ResponsesAntioxidant Activity and Oxidative StressVitamin C and Antioxidants Research

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 202 of the 202 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Influence of vitamin C and vitamin E on redox signaling: Implications for exercise adaptations

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Abstract

The exogenous antioxidants vitamin C (ascorbate) and vitamin E (α-tocopherol) often blunt favorable cell signaling responses to exercise, suggesting that redox signaling contributes to exercise adaptations. Current theories posit that this antioxidant paradigm interferes with redox signaling by attenuating exercise-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) generation. The well-documented in vitro antioxidant actions of ascorbate and α-tocopherol and characterization of the type and source of the ROS/RNS produced during exercise theoretically enable identification of redox-dependent mechanisms responsible for the blunting of favorable cell signaling responses to exercise. This review aimed to apply this reasoning to determine how the aforementioned antioxidants might attenuate exercise-induced ROS/RNS production. The principal outcomes of this analysis are (1) neither antioxidant is likely to attenuate nitric oxide signaling either directly (reaction with nitric oxide) or indirectly (reaction with derivatives, e.g., peroxynitrite); (2) neither antioxidant reacts appreciably with hydrogen peroxide, a key effector of redox signaling; (3) ascorbate but not α-tocopherol has the capacity to attenuate exercise-induced superoxide generation; and (4) alternate mechanisms, namely pro-oxidant side reactions and/or reduction of bioactive oxidized macromolecule adducts, are unlikely to interfere with exercise-induced redox signaling. Out of all the possibilities considered, ascorbate-mediated suppression of superoxide generation with attendant implications for hydrogen peroxide signaling is arguably the most cogent explanation for blunting of favorable cell signaling responses to exercise. However, this mechanism is dependent on ascorbate accumulating at sites rich in NADPH oxidases, principal contributors to contraction-mediated superoxide generation, and outcompeting nitric oxide and superoxide dismutase isoforms. The major conclusions of this review are: (1) direct evidence for interference of ascorbate and α-tocopherol with exercise-induced ROS/RNS production is lacking; (2) theoretical analysis reveals that both antioxidants are unlikely to have a major impact on exercise-induced redox signaling; and (3) it is worth considering alternate redox-independent mechanisms.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2015.03.018

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Research works printed but not linked: 3

  1. Winterbourn, 2014, Are free radicals involved in thiol-based redox signalling?, Free Radic. Biol. Med
  2. Seth, 2011, The S-NO proteome causation and classification, Curr. Opin. Chem. Biol., 15, 136
  3. Pompella, 2003, The changing face of glutathione, a cellular protagonist, Biochem. Pharamcol, 66, 1503

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Metadata

Authors
Cobley, J. N., McHardy, H., Morton, J. P., Nikolaidis, M. G., & Close, G. L.
Affiliations
  • Abertay University (GB)
  • Liverpool John Moores University (GB)
  • Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (GR)
Corresponding author
Cobley, James N.
Venue
Free Radical Biology and Medicine
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2015-07
Volume
84
Pages
65-76
ISSN
0891-5849 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2016974821
Cited by
118
References
202
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 4
FWCI
1.85
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Free Radical Biology and Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Discovery Research Portal (University of Dundee) (submittedVersion)
  • Abertay Research Portal (Abertay University) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
Funders
Carnegie Trust (R70103)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology (medical) › Exercise and Physiological Responses
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Biochemistry (medical) › Antioxidant Activity and Oxidative Stress
  • Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Vitamin C and Antioxidants Research
Keywords
vitamin C, vitamin E, alpha-tocopherol, redox signaling, exercise adaptation, reactive oxygen species, reactive nitrogen species, superoxide, hydrogen peroxide, nitric oxide signaling, peroxynitrite, NADPH oxidase, superoxide dismutase, antioxidants
MeSH terms
Adaptation, Physiological, Animals, Antioxidants, Ascorbic Acid, Humans, Oxidation-Reduction, Vitamin E, Signal Transduction, Exercise, Reactive Oxygen Species, Oxidative Stress, Reactive Nitrogen Species

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