Micronutrients & recovery
Intravenous pretreatment with N-acetylcysteine (150 mg/kg) inhibits the development of fatigue in human skeletal muscle during low-frequency (10 Hz) electrical stimulation, increasing force output by approximately 15% compared to control.
This study demonstrates that a single high-dose intravenous injection of N-acetylcysteine (150 mg/kg) can reduce muscle fatigue during low-intensity, repetitive exercise in healthy men. However, this benefit comes with a high risk of unpleasant side effects (nausea, flushing, dizziness) requiring additional medication (diphenhydramine). Because the intervention requires IV administration and causes significant distress, it is not a practical or recommended strategy for improving exercise performance in healthy individuals. It serves primarily as evidence that oxidative stress contributes to fatigue.
During fatiguing contractions stimulated at 10 Hz, NAC increased force output by ~ 15% (P < 0.0001)... N-acetylcysteine pretreatment can improve performance of human limb muscle during fatiguing exercise
Why this rating
Randomized, crossover, controlled human trial with rigorous statistical analysis (ANOVA), though the sample size is small (n=10) and the intervention is invasive (IV).
Source
N-acetylcysteine inhibits muscle fatigue in humans.
Michael B. Reid et al. · Journal of Clinical Investigation · 1994
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