Effects of hyperbaric stress on metabolic reactions in divers: Prevention

Abstract

navy, human undergoes an inte grated influence of many factors, which can cause harmful and dangerous effects. These factors are an increased pressure of water and gas media (hyperbaric effect), hyperoxia, and decompression stress causing gas embolism [1]. The resultant excess of oxygen in tissues promotes formation of reactive free radical metabolites, which, acting as oxidizers cause lesions of biological membranes and oxidative damage of the organs [2].Even with all safety precautions, divers under long term hyperbaric exposure reach the breaking point of the regulatory body systems. As a result, adaptation reserve is exhausted and oxidative stress forms, causing stress or adaptation diseases (chronic fatigue syn drome, cardiovascular diseases, hypertensive disease, atherosclerosis, etc.). Changes in lipid metabolism expressed as an increase in triacylglycerols, low den sity lipoproteins; a decrease in polyunsaturated fatty acid in the blood plasma; and changes in enzyme activities indicating liver dysfunction were observed in healthy subjects after experimental dive varying in depth and duration [3,4]. Even single dives to small depths (40 m) result in significant changes in the anti oxidant defense, which is recovered after a substantial time interval [2].In this connection, analysis of clinical and bio chemical blood indices is a significant component of control for diver's body state and makes a study of basic biochemical mechanisms of the effect of diving with the aim of prevention and correction of the resultant metabolic damages an urgent problem.One of the ways of correction of functional state of the body upon extreme exposures (including hyper baric one) to increase stress stability and accelerate recovery in the rehabilitation period is the use of natu ral biologically active food supplements (BASs). Most BASs act through the metabolic pathways and recov ery of the antioxidant defense of the body.BASs of vegetative origin displaying high antiradi cal and antioxidant activities (polyphenols) are of spe cial interest. They are part of vegetative products tradi tionally utilized by humans (fruits, vegetables, berries, etc.) and evolutionarily adapted to the human body. In contrast to synthesized polyphenols, natural ones have a low toxicity and cause no adverse reactions (allergy, rejection by the body, habituation effect, accumula tion). Because of they may serve as traps of free radi cals of different types, natural polyphenols protect the body from oxidative stress [5]. They form complexes with transition metal ions, affect the activity of metal depending enzymes, block processes of lipid peroxida tion, and interact with biological membranes, chang ing their structural characteristics [6].Abstract-A study of metabolic parameters was carried out using blood samples of subjects whose profes sional activity is connected with systematic diving to large or medium depths. To restore the working capacity and preserve the diver's health, pharmacological prevention using a Kalifen food supplement, which is t...