Supplementation of antioxidants prevents oxidative stress during a deep saturation dive.
Conflicting views exist at the present regarding the influences of a deep saturation dive on liver function in divers. Therefore, we first reevaluated whether a deep saturation dive (400 msw) induces a hepatic disturbance. As the result, plasma activities of both transaminases (aspartate aminotransferase [AST] and alanine aminotransferase [ALT]) increased significantly, whereas cholinesterase (Ch-E) activity decreased markedly, being highly suggestive of liver dysfunction. Assuming that the liver dysfunction was attributable to oxidative stress, we next examined the effects of supplementation of antioxidants (600 mg of vitamin C, 150 mg of alpha-tocopherol, and 600 mg of tea catechins per day) on liver function in saturation divers. As was anticipated, the antioxidants taken appeared to prevent a hepatic disturbance, indicating that a deep saturation dive provokes liver dysfunction probably due to oxidative stress. Thus, we recommend that saturation divers should take supplements of antioxidants.
Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Undersea Medical Center, Yokosuka.
Makoto
M
Ikeda
Kazuhiko
K
Nakabayashi
Masaharu
M
Shinkai
Yukihiko
Y
Hara
Takako
T
Kizaki
Shuji
S
Oh-ishi
Hideki
H
Ohno
D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000378:metabolism; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D002392:Catechin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D002802:Cholinesterases / Q000097:blood; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004242:Diving; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood; D013662:Tea / Q000737:chemistry; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000975:Antioxidants; D007527:Isoenzymes; D013662:Tea; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D002392:Catechin; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D002802:Cholinesterases; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol; D001205:Ascorbic Acid