Comparison of blood pro/antioxidant levels before and afer acute exercise in athletes and non-athletes

Abstract

The aims of our study were to assess the redox state of adolescent athletes and non-athletes both at rest and afer acute exposure to physical load and to find relations between parametersof redox state and morphofunctional characteristics of subjects. 58 young handball players and 37 non-athletes were subjected to body composition analysis, measuring of maximal oxygen consumption and blood sampling immediately before and afer a maximal progressive exercise test. At rest, athletes had significantly higher superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity, higher levels of reduced glutathione (GSH) and nitric oxide (NO) and lower levels of lipid peroxidation (TBARS) compared with non-athletes. A maximal exercise test induced statistically significant rise of superoxide anion radical (O 2-), hydrogen peroxide (H 2O 2) and NO levels in non-athletes, while TBARS levels decreased. Athletes experienced the fall in NO levels and the fall in CAT activity. Afer exercise, athletes had significantly lower levels of O 2- compared with non-athletes. Two way repeated measures ANOVA showed that the response of O 2-, NO and TBARS to the exercise test was dependent on the sports engagement (training experience) of subjects. Significant correlations between morphofunctional and redox parameters were found. These results suggest that physical fitness affects redox homeostasis.