Provided are methods for enhancing exercise (e.g., intense, eccentric, elevated temperature, repetitive, aerobic, and high altitude) performance, comprising administering electrokinetically-altered aqueous fluids comprising an ionic aqueous solution of stably configured charge-stabilized oxygen-containing nanostructures predominantly having an average diameter of less than 100 nanometers. In certain aspects, enhancing exercise performance comprises at least one of: reducing plasma inflammatory cytokines (e.g., IFN-alpha, ENA-78 and BDNF)； ameliorating muscle/tendon damage or enhancing muscle/tendon recovery； reducing biomarkers of exercise-induced muscle injury (e.g., CK-, plasma myoglobin)； ameliorating exercise induced tendinosis, tendonitis, tenosynovitis, avulsion, and tendon strain associated with chronic repetitive movement or enhancing recovering therefrom； increasing VO2 max； decreasing RPE； reducing blood lactate； preserving muscle contractile function (e.g., maximal force, joint ROM)； reducing muscle soreness； ameliorating onset of fatigue in an exercising subject. Improved methods for producing electrokinetically altered aqueous fluids (including sports beverages) are also provided.
