Multivitamin-mineral supplementation prevents lipid peroxidation during "the Marathon des Sables".
OBJECTIVE
We investigated the effect of a moderate mutivitamin and mineral supplementation containing mainly vitamin C (150.0 mg.day(-1)), vitamin E (24.0 mg.day(-1)) and beta-carotene (4.8 mg.day(-1)) prior to and during an extreme running competition -the Marathon des Sables (MDS)- that consisted of six long races in the desert.


METHODS
Seventeen athletes participated in our double blind, placebo-controlled study. Blood samples were collected prior to the supplementation i.e. three weeks before the competition (D-21), two days prior to the MDS (D-2), after the third race (D3) and at the end of the competition (D7). Erythrocyte antioxidant enzyme activity (glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD)), erythrocyte glutathione level (GSH), plasma non-enzymatic antioxidant status (uric acid, vitamin C, alpha-tocopherol, retinol, beta-carotene), markers of plasma lipid peroxidation (thiobarbituric reactive substances (TBARS)), reactive carbonyl derivatives (RCD) and membrane damage (creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase activities) were measured.


RESULTS
In both groups, GSH levels, uric acid levels and membrane damage significantly increased during the competition while SOD activity significantly decreased. In Supplemented group, plasma alpha-tocopherol, beta-carotene and retinol levels significantly increased after three weeks of supplementing. In contrast to Placebo group, alpha-tocopherol, vitamin C and retinol levels were significantly affected by the competition in Supplemented group. Moreover, no increase in TBARS was observed in Supplemented group during the competition, whereas TBARS significantly increased at D3 in the placebo group.


CONCLUSIONS
The moderate multivitamin-mineral supplementation prevented the transient increase in TBARS levels during this extreme competition.
Machefer
Guillaume
G
Laboratory of Physiology and Biomechanics of Muscular Exercise. UFR-APS, University of Rennes 2, av. Charles Tillon, 35044 Rennes Cedex, FRANCE. machefer_guillaume@yahoo.fr
Groussard
Carole
C
Vincent
Sophie
S
Zouhal
Hassane
H
Faure
Henri
H
Cillard
Josiane
J
Radák
Zsolt
Z
Gratas-Delamarche
Arlette
A
D000328:Adult; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D019540:Area Under Curve; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005978:Glutathione / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D008903:Minerals / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000502:physiology; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000032:analysis*; D013997:Time Factors; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood; D014815:Vitamins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood
D000975:Antioxidants; D008903:Minerals; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D014815:Vitamins; D019207:beta Carotene; D014810:Vitamin E; D014527:Uric Acid; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D005978:Glutathione; D001205:Ascorbic Acid