Dietary supplementation with vitamin C delays the onset of fatigue in isolated striated muscle of rats.
The purpose of this study was to assay the effect of prolonged vitamin C supplementation on contraction time and strength in the gastrocnemius muscle of the rat. Fifteen male Sprague-Dawley rats were given 30 mg of vitamin C orally per day for thirty days, while an additional fifteen animals served as controls. Contraction of the isolated gastrocnemius muscle was induced by electrical stimulation, and strength and time to fatigue was measured. Results indicate that the supplementation of vitamin C prolongs contraction time by 19% thus delaying fatigue but had no affect on muscle strength.
D000818:Animals; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005221:Fatigue / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009132:Muscles / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D001205:Ascorbic Acid