title: Oxidative and antioxidant status in plasma of runners: effect of oral supplementation with natural antioxidants.
abstract: Aerobic exercise increases free radical production as a consequence of enhanced oxygen consumption. If free radical formation exceeds antioxidant capacity, lipids, proteins, and DNA may be oxidized. Oxidative stress is widely recognized as a factor in many degenerative human diseases. The role of dietary antioxidants in protection against disease is a topic of continuing interest. In fact, there is epidemiological evidence correlating a higher intake of nutrients possessing antioxidant abilities with a lower incidence of various human diseases. This study was directed at investigating whether changes in plasma antioxidant capacity and oxidative stress markers occur in voluntary wheel runners, before and after oral supplementation with lycopene and isoflavones. For this purpose, plasma antioxidant capacity and oxidative stress markers were assessed in long distance runners at the end of a 60-minute run. Comparisons were made between runners before and after 60 days of supplementation with lycopene and isoflavones. DNA damage in blood cells of the same samples was also evaluated by comet assay. This investigation shows that oral supplementation with lycopene and soy-derived isoflavones significantly reduced lipid peroxidation and enhanced plasma nonproteic antioxidant defense.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Medical Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Catania, Catania, Italy. cdigiaco@unict.it
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Di Giacomo
authors.forename: Rosaria
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Acquaviva
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sorrenti
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vanella
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grasso
authors.forename: Maria Luisa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Barcellona
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Galvano
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vanella
authors.forename: Marcella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Renis
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004249:DNA Damage; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007529:Isoflavones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008054:Lipid Peroxides / Q000097:blood; D000077276:Lycopene; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology*; D013025:Glycine max; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D007529:Isoflavones; D008054:Lipid Peroxides; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds; D002338:Carotenoids; D000077276:Lycopene