Total radical trapping antioxidant potential (TRAP) and exercise

The Influence of an Eight-Week Cycloergometer-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation on Serum Antioxidant Status in Men with Coronary Heart Disease: A Prospective Study

Background and objectives: A body of evidence confirms the benefits of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) in coronary heart disease (CHD) patients, but it remains unclear whether it enhances the antioxidant potential. The aim of the study was to assess the influence of an eight-week aerobic cycloergometer-based CR program on serum total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and other CHD risk factors. Materials and Methods: The study involved 36 men with CHD (55.2 ± 9.0 years). TAC was assessed with two methods: ferric reducing ability of serum (TAC-FRAS) and 2.2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (TAC-DPPH). Aerobic capacity was evaluated during a submaximal exercise test. TAC and other anthropometric, biochemical and physical activity/fitness measures were performed twice: before the beginning and after termination of CR. Results: Aerobic capacity was higher (7.0 ± 2.6 vs. 8.0 ± 2.5 MET—metabolic equivalents; p < 0.01), but values of resting diastolic blood pressure were lower (81.9 ± 7.6 vs. 77.4 ± 8.9 mmHg; p < 0.01) after termination of CR. Other classic cardiometabolic, anthropometric, and biochemical measures did not change with CR. No difference in TAC-FRAS was found after CR, whereas TAC-DPPH was significantly lower (16.4 ± 4.0 vs. 13.2 ± 3.7% reduction; p < 0.01). Conclusions: Antioxidant potential measured as TAC-DPPH, but not as TAC-FRAS, decreased with the CR program. The recognized health benefits of CR are not related to augmented serum antioxidant status.

Physical Activity, Aerobic Capacity, and Total Antioxidant Capacity in Healthy Men and in Men with Coronary Heart Disease

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of the study was to assess total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of blood serum in relation with habitual leisure time physical activity (LTPA) and aerobic capacity in a group of 90 men with coronary heart disease (CHD) aged 34.8-77.0 years and in 90 age-matched peers without CHD.

METHODS

Two spectrophotometric methods were applied to assess TAC: Ferric Reducing Ability of Serum (TAC-FRAS) and 2.2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (TAC-DPPH) tests. Aerobic capacity was expressed as physical working capacity at 85% of the maximal heart rate (PWC(85%HRmax)).

RESULTS

CHD patients had higher values of TACFRAS (1.37 ± 0.28 versus 1.27 ± 0.23 mmol FeCl2·L(-1); P < 0.05) but there were no group differences for TAC-DPPH and for uric acid (UA). Negative correlation was found between LTPA (also when calculated per kg of body mass) and TAC-DPPH in CHD patients. In CHD patients, TAC-FRAS and UA were lower in subjects with higher aerobic capacity expressed as PWC(85%HRmax/kg). Those associations were not found in healthy men.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that TAC of blood serum is moderately adversely related to LTPA and aerobic capacity in patients with CHD. UA, as the main determinant of serum TAC, may be partially responsible for those associations.

Cardiovascular risk factors and total serum antioxidant capacity in healthy men and in men with coronary heart disease

Whether the incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD) is related to a decrease in total antioxidant capacity (TAC) has not yet been completely clarified. We assessed TAC of blood serum in a group of 163 men with CHD aged 34.8–77.0 years and in 163 age-matched peers without CHD. Two spectrophotometric methods were applied to assess TAC: ferric reducing ability of serum (TAC-FRAS) and 2.2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (TAC-DPPH) tests. In the CHD group, multivariate analysis revealed that uric acid (UA), triglycerides, and systolic blood pressure contributed independently to the TAC-FRAS variance. TAC-DPPH was favorably predicted by UA concentration, but negatively so by current smoking and glucose levels. In men without CHD, UA was the only independent determinant of both TAC-FRAS and TAC-DPPH. Presence of CHD was not an independent predictor of TAC—observed between-group differences (higher TAC in CHD patients) disappeared after adjustment for other confounders. We conclude that UA is the main determinant of TAC of blood serum in men. TAC is not directly influenced by age or CHD but is related to several indices of overweight/obesity and laboratory measures of metabolic syndrome, especially in patients with CHD.

Physical activity and total antioxidant capacity across an adult lifespan of men

PURPOSE

The aim of the study was to determine the association between the long-term physical activity (PA) and the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of blood serum and their association with coexisting risk factors of cardiometabolic diseases in a group of relatively healthy men.

METHODS

The research was conducted among 422 males age 19.2-89.8 yr, either sedentary or involved in recreational sports activities. Anthropometric measurements, lipid profile, and measurement of glucose and uric acid levels were performed in every man. Current PA, historical PA, and aerobic fitness (physical working capacity) were assessed. TAC was determined with two spectrophotometric methods: the ferric reducing ability of serum (TAC-FRAS) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (TAC-DPPH) tests.

RESULTS

TAC was not related to the age of the subjects. Higher current and historical PA were associated with a more favorable cardiometabolic risk profile but not TAC. In fact, current PA level was connected with lower values of TAC-FRAS. Values of both TAC-FRAS and TAC-DPPH decreased with an increase of aerobic capacity. Individuals with coexisting anthropometric and biochemical risk factors of cardiovascular diseases and with elevated values of arterial pressure had higher TAC. Values of both TAC-FRAS (r = 0.66) and TAC-DPPH (r = 0.39) were strongly positively correlated with uric acid level.

CONCLUSIONS

Overweight, obesity, higher blood pressure, unfavorable blood lipid profile, and especially higher uric acid levels are connected with greater TAC of blood serum across an adult man's life. High PA and fitness are associated with a more favorable overall risk profile of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases but are related to lower TAC.

Hormesis, allostatic buffering capacity and physiological mechanism of physical activity: a new theoretic framework

Despite great progress made in sports medicine, the physiological mechanism of moderate physical activity-induced physical fitness remains only partly understood. Combined with the hormetic characteristic of physical activity and property of allostasis, we first propose the hormesis induced allostatic buffering capacity enhancement as a physiological mechanism to explain the moderate physical activity-induced physical fitness. As stressful stimulus, physical activity can induce several stresses in the host, including eustress ('good stress') and distress ('bad stress'), which may have both positive and negative effects. Too little or too much physical activities will introduce too weak eustress or too strong distress and result in allostasis load through weakening allostatic buffering capacity or damaging allostatic buffering capacity respectively. However, moderate physical activities will introduce eustress and contribute to the hormesis induced allostatic buffering capacity enhancement, which benefits organism.

Physical fitness and plasma non-enzymatic antioxidant status at rest and after a wingate test

We tested seven physical education students whether 30-s sprint anaerobic exercise (Wingate test) would result in oxidative stress (evaluated by lipid radical levels) sufficient to alter plasma non-enzymatic antioxidant status (plasma uric acid, ascorbic acid, alpha-tocopherol, beta-carotene). This study demonstrates that 1) Wingate test increases plasma uric and ascorbic acid concentrations (p <.05), and decreases plasma alpha-tocopherol and beta-carotene levels (p <.05); 2) lipid radical levels at rest and sprint performance are negatively correlated with resting plasma uric acid and alpha-tocopherol concentrations (p <.05). In conclusion, this study 1) demonstrates that a 30-s sprint anaerobic exercise is associated with acute changes in plasma non-enzymatic antioxidant status, 2) indicates that the subjects with largest leg peak power are those who exhibit the lowest plasma antioxidant status at rest (uric acid and alpha-tocopherol), 3) and suggests that antioxidant intake by maintaining plasma antioxidant concentration at rest in the normal range might protect athletes against oxidative stress induced by exercise.

The effect of the trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) in plasma on the formation of 4-aminobiphenylhaemoglobin adducts in smokers

Smokers are exposed to a number of carcinogenic compounds including aromatic amines such as 4-aminobiphenyl. Antioxidants are thought to be involved in the defence against the damaging effect of such carcinogens. Recently it has been shown that plasma antioxidant status in smokers is diminished compared with non-smokers. In this study we investigated in 40 smokers whether the trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) in plasma could be quantitatively related to exposure to cigarette smoke. The biomarkers 4-aminobiphenylhaemoglobin (4-ABP-Hb) adduct and cotinine were determined as indices of cigarette smoke exposure. A correlation between 4-ABP-Hb adduct levels and plasma cotinine levels was found for the whole population studied, who smoked 4-70 cigarettes per day (n = 40, r(2) = 0.12, p = 0.03). A significant inverse relationship was found between TEAC and 4-ABP-Hb levels (n = 40, r(2) = 0.17, p = 0.008). Multiple regression analysis showed a strong relationship between 4-ABP-Hb levels and plasma TEAC and cotinine levels (n = 40, r(2) =0.29, p = 0.002). These findings provide strong evidence that the 4- ABP-Hb adduct represents a valuable biomarker of (internal) exposure to tobacco smoke, and also that the formation of this marker is dependent on the plasma antioxidant status. The multiple regression analysis results show that the measure of effect (4-ABP-Hb adduct formation) is largely determined by dose (cotinine) and protection (TEAC).

Antioxidants in exercise nutrition

Physical exercise may be associated with a 10- to 20-fold increase in whole body oxygen uptake. Oxygen flux in the active peripheral skeletal muscle fibres may increase by as much as 100- to 200-fold during exercise. Studies during the past 2 decades suggest that during strenuous exercise, generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is elevated to a level that overwhelms tissue antioxidant defence systems. The result is oxidative stress. The magnitude of the stress depends on the ability of the tissues to detoxify ROS, that is, antioxidant defences. Antioxidants produced by the body act in concert with their exogenous, mainly dietary, counterparts to provide protection against the ravages of reactive oxygen as well as nitrogen species. Antioxidant supplementation is likely to provide beneficial effects against exercise-induced oxidative tissue damage. While universal recommendations specifying types and dosages of antioxidants are difficult to make, it would be prudent for competitive athletes routinely engaged in strenuous exercise to seek an estimate of individual requirement. A new dimension in oxidant biology has recently unfolded. Although excessive oxidants may cause damage to tissues, lower levels of oxidants in biological cells may act as messenger molecules enabling the function of numerous physiological processes. It is plausible that some exercise-induced beneficial effects are actually oxidant-mediated. Such developments call for an even more careful analysis of the overall significance of types and amounts of antioxidants in diet. While these complexities pose significant challenges, experts agree that if used prudently, oxidants and antioxidants may serve as potent therapeutic tools. Efforts to determine individual needs of athletes and a balanced diet rich in antioxidant supplements are highly recommended.

Physical activity, aerobic capacity and selected markers of oxidative stress and the anti-oxidant defence system in healthy active elderly men

The relationship of oxidative stress and the anti-oxidant defence system to maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) and habitual physical activity was assessed in 26 elderly men (71.0 +/- 4.2 years) and compared to that of 12 young men (22.1 +/- 5.1 years). Physical activity was assessed by a questionnaire. Malondialdehyde (MDA), plasma total anti-oxidant status (TAS), the levels of red blood cell (RBC) superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX), as well as serum GPX activities were determined under resting conditions. The older and young men had similar TAS and RBC SOD, while MDA, RBC GPX and plasma GPX were higher, and RBC SOD/GPX ratio was significantly lower in the older men. Neither MDA nor anti-oxidants were associated with any of the physical activity/aerobic capacity measures in the elderly men. We conclude that in healthy elderly men with a good nutritional status, indicators of the anti-oxidant defence system are not lower in comparison with young men. Increased RBC and plasma GPX coupled with a high level of lipid peroxidation marker may indicate an adaptation of anti-oxidant defences to sustained oxidative stress. Furthermore, the results of the present study suggest that the level of habitual physical activity and aerobic capacity have no major influence on the resting balance between radical generation and blood anti-oxidant potential in healthy older men.