title: Improved lung function following dietary antioxidant supplementation in exercise-induced asthmatics.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Oxidative stress is a characteristic of exercise-induced asthma (EIA), however antioxidant supplementation may attenuate EIA. The purpose of this study was to determine if ascorbic (AsA) and α-tocopherol supplementation would improve airway function in subjects with EIA.
  
  
  METHODS
  A single-blind randomized crossover design with eight clinically diagnosed EIA subjects (22.0 ± 0.7 year) and five healthy control subjects (28.2 ± 1.4 year) was used. Subjects consumed vitamins (V) (AsA 500 mg; α-tocopherol 300 IU) or placebo (PLA) daily for three weeks, followed by a three week washout period and then three weeks of the alternative treatment. Ten-minute treadmill tests (90% VO2peak) were performed with pulmonary function testing (forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and between 25 and 75% (FEF25-75%), and peak expiratory flow rates (PEFR)) measured pre-exercise and 1, 5, 15, and 30 min post-exercise.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Supplementation led to significant improvements at minute 5 and minute 15 in FVC; FEV1; PERF; FEF25-75% and minute 30 in FEV1 and FEF25-75% post-exercise.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AsA and α-tocopherol may aid the recovery of pulmonary function in subjects with EIA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA. Electronic address: stephkurti@ksu.edu.
authors.forename: Stephanie P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Kurti
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA.
authors.forename: Jill D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA.
authors.forename: Christine S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Ferguson
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA.
authors.forename: Kelly R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA.
authors.forename: Joshua R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA.
authors.forename: Craig A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Harms
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001250:Asthma, Exercise-Induced / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D010366:Peak Expiratory Flow Rate; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014797:Vital Capacity; D055815:Young Adult; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol; D001205:Ascorbic Acid