Gender and exercise influence on tissue antioxidant vitamin status in rats

Although gender differences in antioxidant status based largely on differin g estrogen levels have been postulated, it is not known if other gender bas ed differences in tissue antioxidants exist. This experiment examined wheth er gender based differences in tissue vitamin C and vitamin E concentration exist, and investigated the possibility of gender based differences in ind ices of tissue oxidative stress following an acute exercise bout. It was de termined that female rats had significantly higher levels of vitamin E in l iver and heart tissues than males and that males had significantly more vit amin C in the plantaris muscle than females. However, female rats also had less liver glutathione than males. Acute exercise resulted in significant a nd equal tissue oxidative stress in both genders as indicated by tissue glu tathione status. With some exceptions, tissue vitamin C and vitamin E conce ntrations were generally unaffected by acute exercise in either gender. Hen ce, while some gender differences in tissue antioxidant status in rats are evident, these differences do not affect tissue indices of oxidative stress following acute exercise.