The ISSN position stand on dietary antioxidants 📚
Everything you need to know about antioxidants.
International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: effects of dietary antioxidants on exercise and sports performance
Study Details
This new position stand by the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) summarised the available evidence for antioxidant use in exercise and sport 🔍
Here are the top 10 key takeaway messages ⬇️
Key Findings
1️⃣ Redox balance sits on a spectrum
Small amounts of oxidative stress drive adaptation, but excessive stress harms recovery, health and performance ⚖️
2️⃣ Exercise-generated ROS/RNS are a double-edged sword
Moderate levels support adaptation, excessive levels increase muscle damage, inflammation and performance decline ⚔️
3️⃣ Your body has powerful built-in defences
Endogenous + dietary antioxidants work together to protect cells and maintain balance 🧬
4️⃣ Not everything labelled “antioxidant” qualifies
Only specific nutrients (e.g. vitamins C & E, selenium, zinc) meet formal regulatory definitions 📜
5️⃣ Antioxidants should match the goal
Recovery vs adaptation matters, alongside dose, timing and context 🎯
6️⃣ Training itself boosts antioxidant capacity
Regular exercise strengthens endogenous antioxidant systems 🛡️
7️⃣ Food first always
Whole foods rich in polyphenols, flavonoids, carotenoids, vitamins and minerals are preferred 🥗
8️⃣ Supplement strategically
Useful when dietary intake is low or during heavy training stress 🥵
9️⃣ Responses are individual
Training status, diet, baseline redox status and lifestyle influence outcomes 🔍
🔟 Top evidence-supported options
💊 Creatine monohydrate → ~0.1 g/kg/day
🐟 Omega-3 (EPA + DHA) → 1000 – 6000 mg/day for 6–12 weeks
🍒 Tart cherry → 480 mg powder OR 60 – 90 mL juice/day for 7–14 days
💊 Astaxanthin → 4 – 12 mg/day for ~4–12 weeks
Reference
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41701327/
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