title: Effect of eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) and vitamin e on the blood levels of inflammatory markers, antioxidant enzymes, and lipid peroxidation in Iranian basketball players.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Exercise can change the release of numerous cytokines and modulate their receptor systems. Dietary ω-3 lipids may decrease the levels of inflammatory cytokines and prostaglandins (PGs). Therefore, in this study, we investigated the effects of exercise and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) supplementation, with or without vitamin E, on the blood levels of IL-2, TNF-α, catalase, glutathione reductase, and MDA in male basketball players.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-four well-trained male basketball players were enrolled into the study. Venous blood samples were obtained from all subjects between 5:00 and 6:00 p.m., after intensive endurance exercising for 2 hours, at the baseline and after intervention. Subjects received 2g EPA and/or 400 IU vitamin E or placebo depends on their groups for 6 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were significant fall (paired t-test) in TNF-α in group1(P< 0.05), and in MDA in group 3 (P<0.05), whereas there were significant increase in glutathione reductase in groups1 and 3 (P< 0.05), and in MDA in group2 (P< 0.05).There were significant differences (Tukey) in glutathione reductase between groups 2 and 3 (P< 0.05), and in IL-2 between groups 1 and other groups (P< 0.01), but there were no significant differences in MDA, CAT, and TNF-α, among groups after 6 week of intervention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Six weeks of EPA+vitamin E supplementation enhances the plasma levels of IL-2 and erythrocytes glutathione reductase, whereas it reduces TNF-α, and 6 weeks of EPA supplementation alone enhances only the serum level of MDA.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Nutrition, School of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Iran.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ghiasvand
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Djalali
authors.forename: Sa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Djazayery
authors.forename: Sa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Keshavarz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hosseini
authors.forename: Gh
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Askari
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jani
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fardad
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fatehi
keywords: Antioxidant enzymes; EPA; Inflammation; Lipid peroxidation; Vitamin E