Beating Oxidative Stress: Role of Antioxidants

What is Oxidative Stress?

We often associate Running well with strong legs and heart, but it’s beyond that — it’s a full-body effort, down to the cellular level. When you push through a tough tempo run or crush a hill workout, your muscles demand more oxygen to keep up with the effort. This extra effort can tip the balance, triggering Oxidative Stress. Oxidative stress is a natural process where your body produces free radicals (unstable molecules with unpaired electrons) that can cause wear and tear on your cells.

While some oxidative stress is a normal part of training and in small amounts, free radicals aren’t necessarily bad. They play a role in signaling your body to adapt to the demands of training—a process that helps you get faster and stronger. However, when oxidative stress becomes excessive, it can overwhelm your body’s defenses, leading to cell damage. These excessive free radicals can damage cells, causing slower recovery, higher fatigue levels, and even a higher risk of injury.

Science Spotlight: How Oxidative Stress and Antioxidants Work

Free radicals are produced as a natural part of cellular metabolism, especially during aerobic activities like running. These unstable molecules have an unpaired electron, making them highly reactive. If left unchecked, they can attack lipids, proteins, and DNA in your cells, leading to damage and inflammation. This is where antioxidants come in. Antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E, act as electron donors, stabilizing free radicals and neutralizing their harmful effects. This process helps to reduce oxidative damage and maintain cellular health, which is particularly crucial for endurance athletes.

The Role of Antioxidants

Think of Antioxidants as your body’s cleanup crew, neutralizing those free radicals before they cause harm. Antioxidants do this by donating electrons, thereby stabilizing the molecules and reducing their harmful effects. Incorporating antioxidant-rich foods is especially beneficial after long runs or strenuous workouts.

Some of the most common antioxidants include:

Vitamin C: Found in citrus fruits, bell peppers, and strawberries.
Vitamin E: Found in almonds, sunflower seeds, and spinach.
Beta-carotene: Found in carrots, sweet potatoes, and kale.
Selenium: Found in Brazil nuts, fish, and eggs.

Antioxidant-Rich Foods:

Dark-colored Vegetables and Fruits:
- Examples include bell peppers, citrus fruits, kale, pomegranates, and berries.
Indian Spices:
- Spices like turmeric (curcumin) are excellent for combating oxidative stress.
- Pro tip: Addding 1500 mg of turmeric to your foods can help to combat oxidative stress. However, please note that turmeric absorption is poor, hence adding black pepper to turmeric-rich dishes increases absorption. It’s important to note that high doses may cause gastrointestinal and other issues in some individuals.
Flavonoids:
- Found in dark chocolate, kale, parsley, red onions, etc.
- Pro tip: Limit intake to 150–500 mg/day.

Snack Ideas for Runners

Protein Smoothie Boost: Blend your favorite protein powder with fresh or frozen blueberries (rich in antioxidants), and almond milk. Add a teaspoon of chia seeds for extra antioxidants.

Greek Yogurt Bowl: Top a serving of Greek yogurt with sliced bananas, and blueberries. Add a dash of cinnamon for extra antioxidants.

Dark Chocolate Snack: Pair a square of dark chocolate (70% or higher cacao) with a handful of mixed nuts for a quick recovery snack rich in flavonoids and healthy fats.

Practical Tips:

Consuming antioxidants close to your workouts might blunt some of the positive stress signals your body needs to adapt. Instead, focus on getting these nutrients throughout the day to support overall recovery.
While salads with antioxidants are generally healthy, they should be consumed on rest days rather than close to training sessions.
While it might be tempting to load up on antioxidant supplements, research shows that high doses can interfere with training adaptations. Whole foods are your best bet, as they provide a natural balance of nutrients.

Beyond Antioxidants, the Role of Strength Training

In addition to antioxidants, resistance training and weightlifting can also play a crucial role in managing oxidative stress. Regular resistance training introduces controlled oxidative stress, which stimulates the body to enhance its natural defense systems. Over time, this type of exercise increases the activity of antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase, helping to neutralize free radicals more effectively.

Strength training also supports overall cellular health and boosts resilience, lowering baseline levels of oxidative stress in the long term. This makes resistance training an excellent complement to running, not just for building strength and preventing injury but also for improving your body’s ability to handle oxidative challenges.

Guideline:

Aim for 2–3 days of strength training per week, paired with 2 days of recovery to reduce body stress and enhance recovery.

This article is compiled by Team GeeksOnFeet for the love of running. If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to reach out to us at [email protected].

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