What Researchers Did
Researchers investigated if a 4-week daily supplementation of vitamins C and E could prevent oxidative stress induced by hyperbaric oxygen in 19 healthy men.
What They Found
Hyperbaric oxygen exposure decreased plasma vitamin C and antioxidative capacity, and increased lipid peroxides. While vitamin supplementation increased plasma vitamin C by 28% and vitamin E by 37%, it did not prevent the decrease in vitamin C and reduced glutathione, or the increase in lipid peroxides after hyperbaric oxygen exposure.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy should be aware that vitamin C and E supplementation may not prevent the associated oxidative stress. Further research is needed to identify effective strategies for mitigating oxidative stress in these clinical settings.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection.
Study Limitations
A limitation of this study is the small sample size of 19 healthy men, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.