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Lifelong amateur endurance practice attenuates oxidative stress and prevents muscle wasting in senior adults

Abstract:

Background: The aim of the study was to investigate oxidative stress, muscle damage, enzymatic antioxidant defense and body composition in senior adults who have performed different lifelong physical activity practices. METHODS: Twenty-Three healthy senior men (60±1.88 years old) were divided into three groups according to their lifelong physical activity practice as follows: A) sedentary (N.=7); B) recreational (N.=9); and C) amateur (N.=7). Blood sampling was performed at rest to analyze plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) by TBARs-Assay, nuclear DNA-damage in peripheral lymphocytes using Comet-Assay, the plasma enzymatic activity of glutathione peroxidase by spectrophotometry and serum alpha-Actin release as skeletal muscle damage marker through western blot. Body composition was evaluated using anthropometric assessments by the ISAK protocol through skinfold thickness. RESULTS: The lowest value of MDA was shown in the amateur group. Nuclear DNA-damage was significantly lower in the recreational group than in sedentary and amateur groups (MD=5.53±1.70; P=0.013. MD=5.61±1.62; P=0.008), respectively. The amateur group showed trends toward higher glutathione peroxidase enzymatic activity than recreational and sedentary groups. Alpha-Actin levels were significantly higher in the amateur compared with recreational (MD=4.34±0.46; P<0.001) and sedentary groups (MD=4.89±0.46; P<0.001). The sedentary group showed significantly lower muscle mass (MD=3.67±1.10; P=0.011) and higher fat mass (MD=4.19±0.98; P=0.001) than amateur group. CONCLUSIONS: The results described above suggest that the lifelong amateur endurance practice seems to improve oxidative stress response and strengthens hypertrophy mechanisms that might preserve muscle mass in senior adults.