This review aimed to verify the effects of vitamin E supplementation on oxidative
stress, inflammatory response, muscle damage, soreness, and strength in healthy
adults after exercise. We searched the MEDLINE, EMBASE, SPORTDiscus, Cochrane
CENTRAL, and Web of Science from inception to August 2023, with no language
restrictions. We included randomized placebo-controlled trials evaluating the
supplementation of vitamin E on the abovementioned outcomes after a bout of
physical exercise in healthy participants (no restriction for publication year
or language). Meta-analyses were conducted to compare vitamin E and placebo
supplementations to obtain a 95% confidence interval (95%IC).
Twenty studies were included (n=298 participants). The effect of
supplementation was assessed between 0 h and 96 h after the exercise. Compared
to placebo, vitamin E had no effects on lipid (95%IC=
–0.09 to 0.42), protein (–2.44 to 3.11), SOD (–1.05 to
0.23), interleukin-6 (–0.18 to 1.16), creatine kinase (–0.33 to
0.27), muscle soreness (–1.92 to 0.69), and muscle strength
(–1.07 to 0.34). Heterogeneity for the analyses on carbonyls,
interleukin-6 (1 h and 3 h), and muscle soreness ranged between 70 to
94%. Supplementing with vitamin E should not be recommended to support
the recovery process in healthy individuals after exercise, given the lack of
efficacy in the analyzed variables following an exercise session.