Salivary and Plasmatic Antioxidant Profile following Continuous, Resistance, and High-Intensity Interval Exercise: Preliminary Study

Abstract

The increase in antioxidant responses promoted by regular physical activity is strongly associated with the attenuation of chronic oxidative stress and physiological mechanisms related to exercise adaptation. The aim of this work was to evaluate and compare how different exercise protocols (HIIE: high-intensity interval exercise, CE: continuous exercise, and RE: resistance exercise) may alter salivary and plasmatic antioxidants and salivary markers of exercise intensity and nitric oxide. Thirteen healthy, trained male subjects were submitted to the three exercise protocols. Blood and saliva samples were collected at the points preexercise, postexercise, and 3 hours postexercise. Antioxidants (total antioxidant capacity, superoxide dismutase and catalase activities, and levels of reduced glutathione and uric acid), markers of exercise intensity (salivary total protein and amylase activity), and salivary nitric oxide were evaluated. As a result, all exercise protocols increased the markers of exercise intensity and nitric oxide. Antioxidant response was increased after exercise, and it was found that a single HIIE session exerts a similar pattern of antioxidant response compared to CE, in plasma and saliva samples, while RE presented minor alterations. We suggest that HIIE may lead to alterations in antioxidants and consequently to the physiological processes related to redox, similar to the CE, with the advantage of being performed in a shorter time. In addition, the antioxidant profile of saliva samples showed to be very similar to that of plasma, suggesting that saliva may be an alternative and noninvasive tool in sports medicine for the study of antioxidants in different physical exercise protocols.

The Effect of Acute Intense Exercise on Activity of Antioxidant Enzymes in Smokers and Non-Smokers

“…Consistent with the present study, Souza et al showed in a study of salivary samples before and after three different exercise protocols on trained men, that after the exercise, CAT activity had increased significantly compared to pre-exercise [ 36 ]. It seems that training experience may express some kind of adaptations with the release of free radicals and increase the expression of enzymes in the respective genes which have higher antioxidant activity.…”

“…The imbalance between the overproduction of free radicals and antioxidant ability to defend the body create conditions such as oxidative stress. Consistent with this view, Souza et al and Suzuki et al suggested that antioxidant and anti-inflammatory molecules are acting as a defense mechanism against the free radical generation (presupposed oxidative stress) induced by exercise [ 36 , 42 ]. These responses seemed to be overwhelming, inducing antioxidant and anti-inflammatory defense systems, and preventing exercise-induced oxidative stress [ 9 , 42 ].…”

The Time Course of Inflammatory Biomarkers Following a One-Hour Exercise Bout in Canines: A Pilot Study

“…This is in contrast to what we observed in our previous horse pilot study, where we reported an increase in plasma NO concentration at 30 min, one hour, and two hours after 30 min of exhaustive galloping exercise on a track [4]. Humans also show an increase in salivary NO concentration at one and three hours after both a maximal aerobic test and a high-intensity interval training test on a mechanical ergometer, but not after resistance exercise of swats, leg curls, and stiff exercises [35]. NO is produced during events of oxidative stress and its increase following exercise can be predicted due to its role (together with PGE 2 ) in facilitating increases in local blood flow to the exercising skeletal muscles [36,37] and reviewed in [38].…”

“…NO is produced during events of oxidative stress and its increase following exercise can be predicted due to its role (together with PGE 2 ) in facilitating increases in local blood flow to the exercising skeletal muscles [36,37] and reviewed in [38]. There are variations in NO production depending on exercise intensity [35]; it is possible that the lack of effect observed in the current study resulted from the relatively low intensity of the exercise bout.…”

Changes in Markers of Oxidative Stress and α-Amylase in Saliva of Children Associated with a Tennis Competition

“…They had lower values at baseline and showed a progressive increase during the four matches. This would in line with the increases in acid uric and other antioxidants reported in saliva after an acute exercise [ 18 , 36 ]. Increases in antioxidants in saliva could be to compensate the release of oxidants compounds that can appear after exercise, and in the particular case of acid uric, due to the increased purine oxidation and subsequent acid uric production [ 37 ].…”