International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: effects of dietary antioxidants on exercise and sports performance.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Expert consensus position stand and narrative review
PubMed 41701327 · doi:10.1080/15502783.2026.2629828
What was done
The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) conducted a comprehensive review of the scientific literature on dietary and supplemental antioxidants, redox biology, and athletic performance to formulate an official society position stand.
What was found
The abstract reports consensus recommendations and specific nutrient protocols rather than pooled quantitative effect sizes: - Mild-to-moderate exercise-induced reactive oxygen species promote beneficial physiological adaptations, whereas excessive oxidative stress impairs recovery and performance. - Routine supraphysiological antioxidant supplementation can blunt training adaptations; endogenous defense enhancement via training and whole foods is preferred. - Specific supplements with moderate- to high-quality evidence supporting recovery without interfering with adaptation include: creatine monohydrate (~0.1 g/kg/day), omega-3 fatty acids (1,000–6,000 mg/day EPA+DHA for 6–12 weeks), tart cherry (480 mg powder or 60–90 mL juice/day for 7–14 days), and astaxanthin (4–12 mg/day for 4–12 weeks). - Most other antioxidant supplements exhibit weak or low efficacy.
Why it matters
This guideline clarifies the biphasic role of oxidative stress in exercise, steering athletes away from indiscriminate high-dose antioxidant use and providing targeted dosing protocols for evidence-backed recovery aids.
Limits
The abstract describes a broad position stand rather than a quantitative meta-analysis; total studies reviewed, effect sizes, and risk-of-bias metrics are not reported in the summary. Individual response varies heavily by baseline nutrient status, training intensity, and timing.
Cited by
- supports Consuming dietary antioxidants from whole food sources does not blunt exercise adaptations.