Physical exercise strongly affects human metabolism and causes biochemical changes. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between routine plasma biomarker levels and recovery efficiency in soccer players during an entire competitive match season. The players participating in the study were divided into a midfielder/defender group (seven midfielders and seven defenders) and a goalie/substitute group (six persons—goalkeepers and players with a short cumulative match-time). The fasting capillary blood samples were taken 17–24 h after each competitive match. The blood plasma was used to determine the creatinine, urea, alkaline phosphatase, creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, aspartate and alanine aminotransferase, iron and magnesium levels of the athletes. The levels of (AST) (aspartate aminotransferase), (ALT) (alanine aminotransferase) and (Cr) creatinine were higher in the midfielder/defender group than in the control group, but only AST and Cr significantly varied over time (AST decreased, and Cr increased with time). The (LDH) (lactate dehydrogenase) activity and urea level were significantly lower in the midfielder/defender group than in the goalie/substitute group, and it significantly varied over time (LDH decreased, and urea increased with time). No differences in the (CK) creatine kinase and (ALP) alkaline phosphatase activities between the groups was found, although CK increased significantly with time in the midfielder/defender group (particularly midfielders in the spring round). In midfielders, the AST activity and the iron level were significantly lower in the spring than in the autumn round. On the contrary, ALT, CK, urea and magnesium levels were significantly higher in the spring than in autumn round. A long-term measurement of biochemical parameters in elite soccer players indicated that AST, CK, LDH and creatinine levels, when analyzed together, could constitute a useful set of markers for monitoring recovery periods.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of linoleic acid-rich plant oils on rumen fermentation parameters. Three experiments were carried out using the batch culture system. Ruminal inoculum was obtained from cannulated sheep, goats and dairy cows. The substrate for in vitro incubations was supplemented in the experimental groups with evening primrose (Oenothera biennis), borage (Borago officinalis) or Saint-Mary thistle (Silybum Marianum) seed oils to 5% in substrate dry matter. High-linoleic oils improved protozoa counts in sheep and cows, and bacteria counts in goat rumens. Changes (P<0.05) of particular volatile fatty acid concentrations were noticed in all animal species. Advantageous changes were found in the level of total C18:1 trans in all species and in t11 C18:1 in goats and cows.

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This study was aimed at examining the impact of common types of physical efforts used to determine the aerobic and anaerobic performance of the participants on the complement system in their peripheral blood. Fifty-one physically active young males aged 16 years old (range 15–21 years) were divided into two age groups (younger, 15–17 years old and older, 18–21 years old) and performed two types of intensive efforts: aerobic (endurance; 20-m shuttle run test; Beep) and anaerobic (speed; repeated speed ability test; RSA). Venous blood samples were collected before and after each exercise (5 and 60 min) to profile the complement system components, namely the levels of C2, C3, C3a, iC3b, and C4. The endurance effort caused a decrease in the post-test C3 (p < 0.001 for both age groups) and increase in post-test C3a (p < 0.001 and p < 0.01 for the younger and older group, respectively), recovery iC3b (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05 for younger and older group, respectively), recovery C2 (p < 0.01 for both age groups), and post-test C4 (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01 for the younger and older group, respectively) levels, while the speed effort caused a decrease only in the post-test C2 (p < 0.05 for younger participants) and post-test C4 levels (p < 0.001 and p < 0.01 for the younger and older group, respectively) and an increase in the recovery C3a level (p < 0.05). Our study provides evidence that different types of physical effort promote different immune responses in physically active young men. Aerobic exercise induced the activation of an alternative pathway of the complement system, whilst the anaerobic effort had little influence. A better understanding of the post-exercise immune response provides a framework to prescribe physical activity to achieve different health outcomes.

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of selected polyphenols: gallic acid (GA) and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) on matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-2 and MMP-9) activity in multidrug resistant (MDR) human breast adenocarcinoma cells: MCF7/DOX cells and obtained recently in our laboratory MCF7/DOX500 cells by the permanent selection of MCF7/DOX cells with 500 nM doxorubicin (DOX). The activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9 and the effect of studied polyphenols on these matrix proteases were examined by gelatin zymography assays. We have found that the activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9 significantly increased in resistant MCF7/DOX and MCF7/DOX500 cells whereas they were not detected in sensitive MCF7 cells. It was also observed that GA (30, 60, 100 and 120 µM) and EGCG (5, 10 and 20 µM) caused a comparable concentration-dependent inhibition of MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity in MCF7/DOX and MCF7/DOX500 cells. Control experiments confirmed that examined compounds in these ranges of concentration did not affect the cell growth of MCF7/DOX and MCF7/DOX500 sublines (80-100% of control cell growth was observed in the presence of studied polyphenols).