Effect of altitude training on the peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes insportsmen

Purpose: The aim of this work was an evaluation of the influence of physica l exercise in high-altitude conditions (about 2000 m above sea level) on th iobarbituric acid reactive substances (TEARS) and superoxide dismutase (SOD ) and catalase (CAT) activities in 10 kayakers and 10 rowers. Methods: Duri ng their training, the sportsmen performed different kinds of static and dy namic efforts. The blood samples were taken from the cubital vein on the co ntrol day at low altitude and at high altitude, and on the 4th, 10th, and 1 8th days of the training camp before and after exercise. The TEARS and lact ic acid concentrations in blood plasma and SOD and CAT activities in erythr ocytes were measured. Results: A statistically significant increase of SOD and CAT activities in erythrocytes after exercise on the 4th, 10th, and 18t h days of training was found. The TEARS concentration in erythrocytes decre ased in a statistically significant way after the end of the 10th day of ex ercise (P < 0.01), and on 18th day it more than doubled (P <less than> 0.00 1) when preexercise values were compared with postexercise values of each d ay. A statistically significant increase of TEARS concentration in blood pl asma was observed only after the end of exercise on the 10th day-using the same comparison as above. A statistically significant increased lactic acid concentration in blood plasma was noticed both on 4th or 18th days of trai ning. Conclusions: The results obtained show the increasing generation of o xygen-derived free radicals and the compensatory intensification of SOD and CAT activities after training in altitude (high mountain) conditions.