The redox state of young female handball players following acute exercise and a one-month precompetitive training period

Abstract

Although the relationship between exercise and oxidative stress has been intensively investigated for over 3 decades, there remains a lack of empirical data on exercise-induced oxidative stress in athletes engaged in sporting games, specifi cally among the population of elite female athletes. Blood samples were taken from female handball players on the Serbian U20 national team at the beginning and end of a one-month preparatory training period, as well as immediately before and after acute treadmill exercise. Levels of superoxide anion radical, hydrogen peroxide, nitric oxide and lipid peroxidation were measured in plasma samples, while levels of reduced glutathione and the activity of superoxide dismutase and catalase were measured in erythrocytes. Both experimental protocols demonstrated signifi cant increases in plasma levels of hydrogen peroxide and decreases in superoxide dismutase activity in erythrocytes. Despite the increase in plasma levels of hydrogen peroxide after both the treadmill exercise and the one-month training period, the levels of the two antioxidants responsible for eliminating H2O2 hydrogen peroxide were not signifi cantly diff erent, as may be expected. Moreover, the marker of lipid peroxidation, TBARS, was not signifi cantly increased. Th ese fi ndings suggest that the fi rst line of antioxidative defence was eff ective in the prevention of oxidative stress among young female handball players.