title: Acute and chronic watercress supplementation attenuates exercise-induced peripheral mononuclear cell DNA damage and lipid peroxidation.
abstract: Pharmacological antioxidant vitamins have previously been investigated for a prophylactic effect against exercise-induced oxidative stress. However, large doses are often required and may lead to a state of pro-oxidation and oxidative damage. Watercress contains an array of nutritional compounds such as β-carotene and α-tocopherol which may increase protection against exercise-induced oxidative stress. The present randomised controlled investigation was designed to test the hypothesis that acute (consumption 2 h before exercise) and chronic (8 weeks consumption) watercress supplementation can attenuate exercise-induced oxidative stress. A total of ten apparently healthy male subjects (age 23 (SD 4) years, stature 179 (SD 10) cm and body mass 74 (SD 15) kg) were recruited to complete the 8-week chronic watercress intervention period (and then 8 weeks of control, with no ingestion) of the experiment before crossing over in order to compete the single-dose acute phase (with control, no ingestion). Blood samples were taken at baseline (pre-supplementation), at rest (pre-exercise) and following exercise. Each subject completed an incremental exercise test to volitional exhaustion following chronic and acute watercress supplementation or control. The main findings show an exercise-induced increase in DNA damage and lipid peroxidation over both acute and chronic control supplementation phases (P< 0.05 v. supplementation), while acute and chronic watercress attenuated DNA damage and lipid peroxidation and decreased H₂O₂ accumulation following exhaustive exercise (P< 0.05 v. control). A marked increase in the main lipid-soluble antioxidants (α-tocopherol, γ-tocopherol and xanthophyll) was observed following watercress supplementation (P< 0.05 v. control) in both experimental phases. These findings suggest that short- and long-term watercress ingestion has potential antioxidant effects against exercise-induced DNA damage and lipid peroxidation.
authors.affiliation: Biomedicine and Sport Science Research Group, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: Mark C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Fogarty
authors.forename: Ciara M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Burke
authors.forename: John C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Gareth W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Davison
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis; D001937:Brassica; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004249:DNA Damage; D015536:Down-Regulation; D015444:Exercise; D005221:Fatigue / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D055951:Functional Food; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008297:Male; D031223:Nasturtium; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D018515:Plant Leaves; D013997:Time Factors; D006113:United Kingdom; D014675:Vegetables; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants