The effects of vitamin c application on HbA1C, iron and iron binding capacity in trained footballers and basketball players

In this study, we aimed at examining the effect of vitamin C loading on blood Fe++ values in footballers and basketball players with the thought it could be beneficial in sportsmen because of the vitamin C?s antioxidant property and its role in absorption of iron (Fe++) in intestine, which function as oxygen binding and carrier. 10 male footballers and 10 male basketball players from the amateur football team and professional basketball team of the Bağlar Municipality of Diyarbakir whose ages ranged between 20 and 24 volunteered for the study. The group, whose involvement in sports averaged 7 years, underwent routine health examination before the experiment and their measurements of the first day were obtained. The same measures were taken again after they ran on treadmill for 10 minutes at 10 km/h. They were then taken to the camp under the supervision of their coach and, together with their camp diet, were given 1 gr/24 h vitamin C (Redoxon C) for 3 weeks. The vitamin C preparations were in the form of effervescent tablets and were given 1 gram a day melted in a glass of water. 3 weeks later the subjects were taken to treadmill again and their heart rates and blood pressures were measured before the exercise (BE) and after the exercise (AE), and the levels of glucosile hemoglobin (HbA1c), serum iron (Fe++), total iron binding capacity (TIBC), glucose, insulin, urea, creatine, AST (aspartat aminotransferase), ALT (alanine aminotransferase), ALP (alkaline phosphatase), LDH (lactate dehydrogenase) and lipoprotein were checked. Also, a survey was made to determine their habits of vitamin use and smoking. For the analysis of the data and the statistical comparison of the difference between the BE and AE measurements the paired t-test analysis; and for the comparison of the averages of the footballers and basketball players the unpaired t-test was used. The compatibility of the data with normal distribution was evaluated with Kolmogrow-Smirnow test; and their homogeneity with Levene?s test. At the end of the data analysis, the systolic blood pressure (BP) value dropped in footballers after the use of vitamin C for three weeks (P<0,01). There was not any significant alteration in the pulse and diastolic BP. Both in the footballers and the basketball players there was a significant increase BE and AE bloof Fe++ levels after the increase in vitamin C (P<0,01, P<0,000). TDBK decreased significantly (P<0,000).XThe insulin level BE decreased (P<0.05). While the AE blood glucose increased compared to the BE before and after vitamin C increase, the insulin level dropped (P<0.000). The urea and AST levels after the administration of vitamin C were found significantly low in footballers (P<0,000). In basketball players, after the administration of vitamin C, the blood urea level increased (P<0,05) while LDH value decreased (P<0.000). Both in footballers and basketball players, after the vitamin C increase, the HDL-K level increased compared to the BE (P>0.000) while the triglyceride and LDL-K levels dropped (P<0.01). When the lipoprotein levels of the footballers and basketball players were compared after the vitamin C administration, it was found that the T. Kol, HDL-K, LDL-K and triglyceride levels of the basketball players were lower than those of the footballers (P<0.05).According to our findings, in the footballers and basketball players, who were regularly following their training programmes, the impact of the increase in the vitamin C level on TDBK could indicate a deficiency in vitamin and minerals, thus the need for vitamin C supplement. Those findings show that the vitamin C increase is successful, the application increases the Fe++ absorption and has positive effects on glucose metabolism and cardiovascular functions by decreasing insulin sensitivity.