The effect of spinach supplementation on exercise-induced oxidative stress.

AIM: Nutritional supplements have been very popular among athletes and individuals. Spinach is an important dietary vegetable rich in antioxidants which is commonly consumed. This study was conducted to assess the effects of chronic daily spinach supplementation on known markers of oxidative stress and muscle damage following half-marathon in well-trained healthy young men. METHODS: Twenty well-trained men volunteered for this study. Participants were randomized in an open study placebo-controlled fashion into two groups: Spinach (S) (N.=10) and placebo (P) (N.=10). The participants took spinach supplementation or placebo daily for 14 days before running. Participants ran 21.1 km. The spinach supplementation was prepared at 1 g/kg body weight. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) was determined as marker of plasma antioxidant capacity. Creatine kinase (CK) was measured as marker of muscle damage and malondialdehyde (MDA), protein carbonyl (PC) and uric acid were measured as markers of oxidative stress. RESULTS: TAC significantly elevated after supplementation in S group (P<0.05). Acute exercise led to elevated levels of serum MDA, PC and CK (P<0.05). Spinach supplementation maintained PC, MDA, uric acid and CK at lower levels after exercise than the placebo (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that chronic daily oral supplementation of spinach has alleviating effects on known markers of oxidative stress and muscle damage following a half-marathon in well trained healthy young men.

Influence of a low-dose cox-2 inhibitor drug on exercise-induced inflammation, muscle damage and lipid peroxidation.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of acute low-dose celecoxib administration on exercise-induced inflammation, muscle damage and lipid peroxidation. Twenty healthy untrained males (age: 25.5±4.5 yrs, weight: 72.7±7.9 kg, height: 177.3±7.2 cm) were randomly assigned to treatment (T) or placebo (P) groups. Blood samples were obtained before, immediately after, 3 h after and 24 h after exercise. Subjects ran for 30 min at 75% [Formula: see text]O2 max on a treadmill. Participants consumed 100 mg celecoxib or a placebo immediately after and 12 h after the immediately post-exercise blood sample. Total leukocytes, neutrophils, creatine kinase (CK), C-reactive protein (CRP) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were assessed at each time point. Significant increases in total leukocytes and neutrophils were observed 3 h after exercise in both groups (P < 0.05). CK and CRP levels were significantly increased immediately, 3 h and 24 h after exercise in both groups (P < 0.05). A significant increase in MDA was observed immediately after exercise in both groups (P < 0.05); however, no significant group differences were observed for MDA or CK. These findings suggest that inhibition of cyclo-oxygenase activity with low-dose celecoxib does not affect exercise-induced inflammation, muscle damage, or lipid peroxidation.

Effect of methylsulfonylmethane supplementation on exercise - Induced muscle damage and total antioxidant capacity.

AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate effect of 10-day methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) supplementation on exercise-induced muscle damage. METHODS: Eighteen healthy, non-smoking, active young men were recruited to participate in this study. Participants were randomized in a double-blind placebo-controlled fashion into two groups: MSM (M) (N.=9) and placebo (P) (N.=9). Subjects consumed daily either placebo (200 mL water) or MSM supplement (50 mg/kg MSM in 200 mL water) for 10 days. Afterward, participants ran 14 km. Blood samples were taken before supplementation, before exercise, immediately, 30 min, 2, 24 and 48 h after exercise. RESULTS: CK and bilirubin significantly increased in P group 24 h after exercise compared to M group (P=0.041 and P=0.002, respectively). TAC increased immediately post, 30 min, 2 and 24 h after exercise just in M group (P<0.05). TAC showed significant increase in M group 2 and 24 h after exercise compared to P group (P=0.014 and P=0.033, respectively). CONCLUSION: It seems that 10-day supplementation with MSM has allowed to decrease muscle damage via effect on antioxidant capacity.