title: Vitamin E and aerobic exercise: effects on physical performance in older adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Aerobic endurance exercise enhances antioxidant defenses and improves the physical performance of older adults. However, the combined effect on physical performance of exercise and an antioxidant such as vitamin E has not been investigated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of six months of vitamin E supplementation and supervised aerobic training on physical performance and body composition in sedentary older adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-seven adults, whose average age was 71.5+/-7.5 years, were randomly assigned to an exercise (E), exercise-vitamin (EV), control (C) or vitamin (V) group, and were evaluated before, halfway through, and after training. The dose of vitamin E was 900 IU/day. The training program comprised three sessions of walking exercise per week, at an intensity of 70% of heart rate reserve.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the E and EV groups, the training program significantly reduced (p<0.016 for each) body weight and body mass index (BMI), and improved performance in the 6- min walk, chair stand, arm curl, and back scratch tests. Performance on the 6-min walk test improved in E and EV, but decreased in the V group. Performance on the chair stand test increased in the EV and E groups, but decreased in the V and C groups. Body weight and BMI decreased more in the EV group than in the C and V groups (p<0.016).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Six months of vitamin E supplementation has no additive effect beyond that of aerobic training on indices of physical performance and body composition in older sedentary adults.
authors.affiliation: Department of Coaching, Akdeniz University School of Physical Education and Sports, Antalya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ozgür
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Nalbant
authors.forename: Neşe
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Toktaş
authors.forename: N Füsun
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Toraman
authors.forename: Candan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ogüş
authors.forename: Hülya
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Aydin
authors.forename: Cahit
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kaçar
authors.forename: Yaşar Gül
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Ozkaya
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001823:Body Composition / Q000187:drug effects; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000187:drug effects; D010809:Physical Fitness; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016138:Walking
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D014810:Vitamin E