Oxidative stress and enzymatic Antioxidant defense systems with special reference to Vitamin E supplementation in exercising females

Abstract

Background : Strenuous physical exercise is known to increase the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Oxidative stress ultimately increases the likelihood of cellular oxidation, associated with depletion of antioxidant defense. The production of free radicals can be counteracted by catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH), called antioxidant scavenger enzymes. Due to oxidative stress serum lipid peroxidation level is also significantly increased after exercise, thus, enhancing the susceptibility of erythrocyte to hemolysis, indicated by the activities of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), acid phosphatase (AP) in the serum. When the ROS production in the exercising muscle overwhelms the body s own antioxidant defense system then antioxidant supplementation is needed. Although antioxidant supplementation are widely available and commonly used in the United States, there is a lack of detailed information of their use, including types of supplementation used, doses, duration of use and changes in use overtime. How the enzymatic defense and antioxidant vitamin supplementation are correlated and how these two oxidative stress management systems cohesively balances the stress : strain ratio, particularly during recovery phase are yet not to be worked out. Objectives: To elucidate the effect of physical exercise on antioxidant enzyme systems, blood glutathione and exercise induced lipid peroxidation status in female subjects with reference to the oral administration of antioxidant and other vitamins with trace minerals supplementation at clinical dose and its effectiveness in controlling antioxidant enzymes, blood GSH and lipid peroxidation in exercising females. Methodology: 250 female students of 18-21 years age were randomly chosen from Index Medical College, MP, for the study and divided into 5 sub-groups (01 Placebo and 04 Experimental groups). Endurance capacity of each subject was determined by exercising them in Magnetic Brake Bicycle Ergome