ISSN: 2161-0495
Semra Sardas, Gulden Z Omurtag, Ines F C Monteiro, Diren Beyoglu, Ayfer Tozan-Beceren, Nuri Topsakal and Hasan B Cotuk
Exhaustive physical exercise is associated with an increased oxidative activity and antioxidants are widely used as supplements, to prevent the deleterious effects of endogenous reactive oxygen species. The purpose of this study is to investigate exercise induced oxidative DNA damage and the possible protective effect of vitamin E supplementation. Comet assay was carried out in 23 athletes who were competitive rowers and physical education students of a Sports school. The blood samples were tested at baseline, 24h after performing maximal exercise and all subjects took antioxidant supplementation (vit E 400 IU/day) for 60 days and the above tests were repeated. The mean percentage of DNA damage in tail (% DNAT) in rowers, were higher than in physical education students, (8.32±0.51, 5.99±0.52, respectively). A significant decrease in the extent of %DNAT was observed in athletes who used vitamin E supplementation for 60 days compared to their initial DNA damage evaluations.