Effect of carbohydrate restriction on oxidative stress response to high‐intensity resistance exercise

Abstract

Ketogenic diets consisting of >70% dietary intake from lipids may induce favorable shifts in the redox environment such as reduced markers of oxidative stress (OS). However, a diet with such low dietary carbohydrate intake is difficult to sustain for long periods of time. This study investigated the effects of a low‐carbohydrate, high‐fat (LCHF) diet on markers of OS before and after high‐intensity resistance exercise (HIRE). The HIRE protocol involved five rounds of back squat, deadlift, and bench press completed in respective order and in a descending ladder (10, 8, 6, 4, 2 repetitions) with minimal to no rest. The LCHF diet was 15 days of >50% of calories from fat, ≥25% of calories from protein, and ≤25% of calories from carbohydrates. Blood was sampled before exercise, immediately post‐exercise, and 60 minutes post‐exercise and analyzed for total antioxidant capacity (TAC), tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glucose. The exercise protocol increased (P < .05) plasma levels of glucose, TNF‐α, and MDA. There was a significant increase in MDA from pre to post exercise following the western diet but not the LCHF condition. The LCHF diet did not significantly impact any other blood marker of OS.

Ketogenic diet reduces oxidative stress in obese females in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

“…12,13 Studies on the status of oxidative stress markers on ketogenic diet have been shown mostly in athletes and animal experiment. [14][15][16] However, data on oxidative stress amongst obese women appears to be limited. The literature on changes in oxidative stress markers among obese women on ketogenic diet in Nigeria has been scarcely documented.…”