Lung function and treadmill performance of smoking and nonsmoking males receiving ascorbic acid supplements.
Twelve cigarette smoking and 10 nonsmoking healthy human volunteers, 25 to 38 yr of age, performed lung function and treadmill performance tests over two periods of 3 wk duration while taking either ascorbic acid (300 mg daily) or placebo tablets in a cross-over design. The two exercise periods were separated by a one-month inactive phase. Tablets were administered in a random, double-blind manner. Plasma vitamin C levels were significantly increased after 3 wk of ascorbic acid supplementation in both smokers and nonsmokers as compared to initial levels in the same subjects. No differences between ascorbic acid and placebo treatments of smokers and nonsmokers were observed for 1-s forced expiratory volume, forced vital capacity, 1-s forced expiratory percent, resting heart rate, resting and postexercise systolic and diastolic blood pressures, treadmill workload, postexercise blood lactic acid, and ventilation measurements. The postexercise systolic blood pressure values of the nonsmokers were lower, although not quite significantly, after the ascorbic acid treatment than after the placebo. The 300-mg ascorbic acid supplement appeared to have little effect on the lung function and physical performance of healthy smoking and nonsmoking males.
D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003971:Diastole / Q000187:drug effects; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000187:drug effects*; D012119:Respiration / Q000187:drug effects; D012146:Rest; D012907:Smoking; D013599:Systole / Q000187:drug effects; D014797:Vital Capacity / Q000187:drug effects
D001205:Ascorbic Acid