Nutrition Research Column – April 2026 – Dietary Antioxidants for Health, Physical Performance, and Occupational Readiness – Sense or Nonsense?

REFERNCES

1. Clemente-Suárez, VJ, Bustamante-Sanchez, Á, Mielgo-Ayuso, J, Martinez-Guardado, I, Martin-Rodriguez, A, and Tornero-Aguilera, JF. Antioxidants and sports performance. Nutrients 15(10): 2371, 2023.
2. Conti, F, McCue, JJ, DiTuro, P, Galpin, A, and Wood, T. Mitigating traumatic brain injury: A narrative review of supplementation and dietary protocols. Nutrients 16(15): 2430, 2024.
3. Daneshvar, DH, Nowinski, CJ, and McKee, AC. The epidemiology of sport-related concussion. Clinical Sports Medicine 30(1): 1-17, 2011.
4. Dinkova-Kostova, AT, and Talalay, P. Direct and indirect antioxidant properties of inducers of cytoprotective proteins. Molecular Nutrition and Food Research 52(Suppl 1): S128-138, 2008.
5. Gonzalez, DE, Dickerson, BL, Johnson, SE, Woodruff, K, Leonard, M, Yoo, C, et al. Impact of astaxanthin supplementation on markers of cardiometabolic health and tactical performance among firefighters. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 21(1): 2427751, 2024.
6. Gonzalez, DE, Dickerson, BL, Roberts, BM, Kurtz, J, Waldman, H, Gonzalez, A, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: Effects of dietary antioxidants on exercise and sports performance. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 23(1): 2629828, 2026.
7. Gonzalez, DE, McAllister, MJ, Waldman, HS, Ferrando, A, Joyce, J, Barringer, N, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: Tactical athlete nutrition. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 19(1): 267-315, 2022.
8. Halliwell, B. Understanding mechanisms of antioxidant action in health and disease. Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology 25(1): 13-33, 2024.
9. Hayes, JD, and Dinkova-Kostova, AT. The NRF2 regulatory network provides an interface between redox and intermediary metabolism. Trends in Biochemical Sciences 39(4): 199-218, 2014.
10. Higgins, MR, Izadi, A, and Kaviani, M. Antioxidants and exercise performance: With a focus on vitamin E and C supplementation. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17(22): 2020.
11. Huang, CJ, Webb, HE, Zourdos, MC, and Acevedo, E. Cardiovascular reactivity, stress, and physical activity. Frontiers in Physiology 4: 314, 2013.
12. International Brain Injury Association. Brain injury facts 2024. Retrieved June 1, 2024 from https://www.internationalbrain.org/resources/brain-injury-facts.
13. Ismaeel, A, Holmes, M, Papoutsi, E, Panton, L, and Koutakis, P. Resistance training, antioxidant status, and antioxidant supplementation. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism 29(5): 539-547, 2019.
14. Margaritelis, NV, Paschalis, V, Theodorou, AA, Kyparos, A, and Nikolaidis, M. Antioxidants in personalized nutrition and exercise. Advances in Nutrition 9(6): 813-823, 2018.
15. Martinez-Ferran, M, Sanchis-Gomar, F, Lavie, CJ, Lippi, G, and Pareja-Galeano, H. Do antioxidant vitamins prevent exercise-induced muscle damage? A systematic review. Antioxidants 9(5): 372, 2020.
16. Mason, SA, Trewin, AJ, Parker, L, and Wadley, GD. Antioxidant supplements and endurance exercise: Current evidence and mechanistic insights. Redox Biology 35: 101471, 2020.
17. Matney, C, Bowman, K, and Berwick, D. The scope and burden of traumatic brain injury. Traumatic Brain Injury: A Roadmap for Accelerating Progress. Washington, DC: National Academies Press; 2022.
18. Maughan, RJ, Burke, LM, Dvorak, J, Larson-Meyer, DE, Peeling, P, Phillips, SM, et al. IOC consensus statement: Dietary supplements and the high-performance athlete. British Journal of Sports Medicine 52(7): 439-455, 2018.
19. McAllister, MJ, Basham, SA, and Smith, JW. Effects of environmental heat and antioxidant ingestion on blood markers of oxidative stress in professional firefighters performing structural fire exercises. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 60(11): e595-e601, 2018.
20. Powers, SK, and Jackson, MJ. Exercise-induced oxidative stress: Cellular mechanisms and impact on muscle force production. Physiology Reviews 88(4): 1243-1476, 2008.
21. Powers, SK, Deminice, R, Ozdemir, M, Yoshihara, T, Bomkamp, M, and Hyatt, H. Exercise-induced oxidative stress: Friend or foe? Journal of Sport and Health Science 9(5): 415-425, 2020.
22. Powers, SKaJ, and Michael, J. Endurance exercise and antioxidant supplementation: Sense or nonsense? – Part 2. Sports Science Exchange (Gatorade Sports Science Institute) 27(138): 1-6, 2014.
23. Sen, CK. Oxidants and antioxidants in exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology 79(3): 675-686, 1995.
24. Strack, JE, Torres, VA, Pennington, ML, Cardenas, MN, Dupree, J, Meyer, EC, et al. Psychological distress and line-of-duty head injuries in firefighters. Occupational Medicine 71(2): 99-104, 2021.
25. Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence. Annual report: Washington, DC. 2023. Retrieved 2025 from https://health.mil/Military-Health-Topics/Centers-of-Excellence/Traumatic-Brain-Injury-Center-of-Excellence?type=Reports.

Learn about the benefits of NSCA Membership »