2017, Volume 13, Issue 1
The effect of extreme sports on oxidative stress
Eser Aggon1, Ozturk Agirbas2, izzet ucan2, Anthony C. Hackney3
1College of Physical Education and Sports, erzincan university, erzincan, Turkey
2College of Physical Education and Sports, bayburt university, bayburt, Turkey
3Department of Exercise & Sport Science, and Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States
Author for correspondence: Eser Aggon; College of Physical Education and Sports, erzincan university, erzincan, Turkey; email: eseraggon[at]gmail.com
Full text
Abstract
Background & Study Aim: Despite the high risk of extreme sports, participation rates have increased in the last years. Rafting, and paragliding are two of the most popular extreme sports The aim of this study was the effect of rafting and paragliding exercises in males on oxidative stress situation and antioxidan status.
Material & Methods: Seventeen male rafters and ten male paragliders volunteered in the study. The inclusion criteria were: non-smoker, no known history of cardiovascular disease, body mass index (BMI) <30 kg/m2, and no intake of medications or antioxidant supplements. Blood samples were taken at rafting and paragliding practices’ a day before and after the sporting activies. The data were statistically analyzed with Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney U tests.
Results: Rafting activity increased the values of total antioxidant situation (TAS), paragliding exercises decreased the level of TAS while paragliding increased the level of total oxidative stress (TOS). Differences existed between the group only before activities in TAS values.
Conclusions: The specific property of the rafing workout is to stimulate of participants to cope with oxidative stress by activating the antioxidant status. In turn paragliding exercises increase oxidative stress due to the danger element in the sport and perhaps requiring the participants stay at a high altitude, in some situations, during its practice.
Key words: paragliding, malondialdehyde (MDA), hemoglobin, hematocrit, rafting