The study has shown that skeletal muscle is very sensitive to changes in vitamin C intake, and that the vitamin C content in muscle will fall if intake decreases below optimal levels. This is likely to affect muscle function. Muscle is the largest store of vitamin C in our bodies.

Professor Margreet Vissers, from the Centre for Free Radical Research:

Many people think that all fruit and vegetables are equally able to supply vitamin C, but this is not the case. The levels in food vary hugely across the spectrum. We should eat a good range daily, but because many fruit contain only one tenth of a healthy daily vitamin C requirement, we would recommend at least one serve per day of a high-value food like kiwifruit. This will help you easily reach an optimal vitamin C intake, as well as delivering other vital nutrients.

There is, however, considerable debate regarding the beneficial health effects of vitamin C supplementation. The administration of vitamin C may significantly hamper endurance capacity. Vitamin C supplementation decreases training efficiency because it prevents some cellular adaptations to exercise.