Run Long Run Healthy Antioxidants for Runners: Helpful or Harmful?
Mar 20, 2026
They break down where antioxidants come from and when concentrated supplements beat food. They discuss hormesis and how high‑dose antioxidants can blunt training adaptations. They run through ISSN‑rated supplements from creatine and beetroot to tart cherry, omega‑3s, astaxanthin, and curcumin. They finish with practical timing: post‑race and multi‑day strategies versus daily food‑first approaches.
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Choose Creatine For Daily Performance Benefits
- Prioritize creatine monohydrate as a daily supplement for runners who want clear performance gains without blunting adaptation.
- Creatine improves strength and may reduce inflammation after long endurance events with no evidence of adaptation blunting.
Beetroot Helps Performance Not Recovery
- Beetroot (nitrate) shows solid performance benefits (blood flow, perceived exertion, efficiency) but inconsistent antioxidant effects.
- Best used pre-exercise for performance rather than as a recovery antioxidant.
Take Tart Cherry For Race Week Recovery
- Use tart cherry juice around race weeks or after damaging exercise to reduce soreness and speed recovery.
- Take it after hard efforts and before sleep; it also may improve sleep quality and recovery metrics.