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Vitamin D is synthesised in the skin during exposure to sunlight and its fundamental roles are the regulation of calcium and phosphate metabolism and bone mineralisation. The aim of our study was to evaluate serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3, PTH and bone turnover markers (P1NP, OC, β-CTx, OC/β-CTx) and the intake of calcium and vitamin D in Polish Professional Football League (Ekstraklasa) players and in young men with a low level of physical activity. Fifty healthy men aged 19 to 34 years were included in the study. We showed that 25(OH)D3 and P1NP levels and OC/β-CTx were higher in the group of professional football players than in the group of physically inactive men. The daily vitamin D and calcium intake in the group of professional football players was also higher. We showed a significant relationship between 25(OH)D3 levels and body mass, body cell mass, total body water, fat-free mass, muscle mass, vitamin D and calcium intake. Optimum 25(OH)D3 levels were observed in a mere 16.7 % of the football players and vitamin D deficiency was observed in the physically inactive men. The level of physical activity, body composition, calcium and vitamin D intake and the duration of exposure to sunlight may significantly affect serum levels of 25(OH)D3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was designed to evaluate the plasma markers of reactive oxygen species (ROS) activity and cytokines, and their relationship with thiol redox status of basketball players during training. Sixteen professional players of the Polish Basketball Extraleague participated in the study. The study was performed during the preparatory period and the play-off round. Markers of ROS activity (lipid peroxidation TBARS, protein carbonylation PC) and reduced glutathione (GSH) demonstrated regularity over time, i.e. TBARS, PC and GSH were elevated at the beginning and decreased at the end of training periods. Oxidized glutathione (GSSG) was not affected by exercise training. Thiol redox status (GSHtotal-2GSSG/GSSG) correlated with TBARS and PC in both training periods. The level of interleukin-6 (IL-6) was increased and positively correlated with thiol redox (r=0.423) in the preparatory period, whereas tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) was increased and inversely correlated with thiol redox (r=-0.509) in the play-off round. The present study showed significant shifts in markers of ROS activity, thiol redox status and inflammatory mediators (IL-6, TNFα) following professional sport training as well as correlation between changes in thiol redox and cytokine response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to follow up whether the modification of pro-antioxidant status by oral thiol administration such as Nacetylcysteine and α-lipoic acid affects the hematological response. Twenty-eight healthy men participated in two independent experiments. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of four groups: controls (CNAC and CALA), N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and α-lipoic acid (ALA). 1200 mg of N-acetylcysteine, 600 mg of α-lipoic acid or placebo were administered for 8 days in two doses. NAC or ALA administration significantly elevated plasma total antioxidant status (TAS) and reduced protein carbonylation (PC) and lipid peroxidation (TBARS) by more than 30 %. The reduced glutathione (GSH) and hematological parameters changed only in response to NAC administration. NAC significantly elevated the level of GSH (+33 %), EPO (+26 %), Hb (+9 %) and Hct (+9 %) compared with CNAC. The mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and the mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) also increased by more than 12 % after NAC. The numerous negative or positive correlations between the measures of TAS, PC, TBARS and hematological parameters were found, which suggest the NAC-induced interaction between proantioxidant and hematological values. Our study has shown that both N-acetylcysteine and α-lipoic acid intake reveal an antioxidant action, but only N-acetylcysteine improves the haematological response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carnosine is a dipeptide formed from the amino acids β-alanine and histidine and found in large amounts in the brain and muscle, especially fast twitch muscle. Carnosine has an antioxidant role and accounts for about 10% of the muscle's ability to buffer the H+ ions produced by high intensity exercise. Due to the interesting role of carnosine, the aim of the study was observe the effects of carnosine intake on pro-antioxidant status in highly trained athletes exposed to intense exercise.Fourteen male athletes from the Polish national kayak and canoe teams participated in placebo-controlled and cross-over study. The athletes were supplemented with 4 g/d carnosine for 14 days. Blood samples were collected before and 30 min, 24 h and 48 h after 2000 m exercise trial. In blood, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), nitric oxide (NO), markers of RO/NS activity 8-isoprostanes and 3-nitrotyrosine, total (GSHt) and oxidised glutathione (GSSG), antioxidant status (APO) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were determined. There were not observed statistically significant differences in exercise-induced changes in H2O2 and NO concentrations and SOD activity after carnosine intake. However, carnosine prevented an increase in 8-isoprostanes, 3-nitrotyrosine and GSSG concentrations as well as elevated redox status (GSHt-2GSSG)/GSSG at post-exercise period.Although, oral supplementation with 4 g carnosine did not affect RO/NS generation, it significantly attenuated exercise-induced glutathione loss, reduced oxidation/nitration markers concentration and SOD activity. These results suggest that carnosine could provide antioxidative protection for highly trained athletes.

Background: Both animal and human studies have proved that the dopaminergic system of the brain controls many aspects of behavior, e.g. motivation, addiction, motor movement, locomotion. It has been hypothesized that dopamine signalling may regulate spontaneous physical activity as well., Aim: Literature data suggests that an intact function of dopamine receptors (DRD2-DRD4) inhibits physical activity. This study searched for associations between a propensity to be active (or sedentary) and genetic variants of DRD2 and DRD4., Subjects and Methods: Invitations to participate in the study were sent to 900 randomly selected, adult men living in Lower Silesia, Poland. Genotyping of DRD2 C313T and DRD4 48-bp VNTR polymorphisms of enrolled subjects (371 (DRD2 C313T) and 397 (DRD4 48-bp VNTR)) was performed. Level of physical activity was evaluated using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ)., Results: No associations were found between level of physical activity (low, moderate, high) and the two polymorphisms: DRD2 C313T (p = 0.49) and DRD4 48-bp VNTR (p = 0.31). Studied subjects did not differ as to the number of hours spent sitting either., Conclusion: The results exclude the presence of significant relationships between polymorphic variants of the dopamine receptors genes and the level of physical activity in men.

Concentrations of numerous hormones decrease with age. Some authors imply that a syndrome of partial endocrine deficiency may occur in the aging men. Among many lifestyle factors that influence hormonal status is physical activity. Especially interesting are relations between physical activity and the androgenic/estrogenic status of men. The aim of this study was to evaluate age-related changes of serum androgens, estradiol and SHBG in men presenting different levels of physical activity. Hormonal parameters were measured in a cohort of 387 healthy Caucasian men (aged from 24 to 72 years) from one administrative region of Poland. Their level of physical activity was determined by means of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). We have found that contrary to SHBG concentration, total testosterone, free testosterone, bioavailable testosterone, calculated free testosterone and estradiol were negatively associated with age in the investigated subjects. Apart from estradiol, physical activity did not influence concentrations of the studied parameters. In younger (24-48 years), physically active males estradiol was significantly higher than in subjects characterized by a low level of physical activity. The situation was opposite in older males (48-72 years). In this age group low level of physical activity was associated with lower concentration of estradiol. Undertaking physical effort increased the decline of estradiol level with age.

Aim: Androgens influence human behavior. They affect sport performance, physical activity and emotional responses. CAG repeat polymorphism of androgen receptor (AR) gene is associated with transcriptional activity of AR. Decreased number of CAG repeats leads to increased androgen sensitivity. The purpose of this study was to investigate associations between AR CAG polymorphism and physical activity phenotype., Methods: Within the framework of the HALS Study we randomly selected 900 adult Caucasian males from one administrative region of Poland (Lower Silesia). Eventually, AR CAG repeat was genotyped by a PCR based assay in 360 male subjects. International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was used to determine the level of physical activity of studied subjects. It was expressed as multiples of resting metabolic rate by minutes of performance during a week (METs-minute/week)., Results: No association between AR CAG repeat polymorphism and physical activity (P=0.2, ANOVA) was observed. Men with short CAG presented the lowest level of physical activity reaching 3.44 log (METs-minute/week) (SE 0.053; 95% CI, 3.34-3.54), while in men with medium and long CAG it was respectively 3.58 (SE 0.063; 95% CI, 3.46-3.71) and 3.52 (SE 0.039; 95% CI, 3.44-3.60) log (METs-minute/week)., Conclusions: There is no association between AR CAG repeat polymorphism and the level of physical activity in healthy men.

The aim of this study was to compare the indices of glutathione antioxidant system and oxidative damage level in resistance trained and untrained subjects and to assess the antioxidant action of alpha-lipoic acid in trained men exposed to muscle-damaging exercise. Thirteen trained and twenty untrained men (NT) participated in the comparative study. Then trained men were randomly assigned to T(CON) group (control) or T(ALA) group (alpha-lipoic acid, 600 mg . day(-1), for 8 days) and performed isometric/isokinetic effort of quadriceps muscles. The study has shown the significantly higher erythrocyte levels of glutathione (GSH), glutathione reductase (GR) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in T(CON) than NT but no differences in plasma lipid peroxidation (TBARS) and protein carbonylation (PC). However, total thiol (TT) concentration was two-fold lower in T(CON) than NT group. alpha-Lipoic acid variously influenced the post-exercise levels of GSH (+40%), GR (-24%) and GPx (+29%), but markedly reduced by over 30% the resting and post-exercise TBARS and PC in T(ALA) compared with T(CON). TT concentration significantly increased in T(ALA) but it did not reach the high level which was found in untrained group. It is concluded that alpha-lipoic acid supplementation diminishes oxidative damage. It does not abolish differences in glutathione antioxidant system between untrained and trained subjects but modulates a pro-antioxidant response to the muscle-damaging exercise.

The aim of this study was to follow up whether the modification of pro-antioxidant status by oral thiol administration such as N-acetylcysteine and alpha-lipoic acid affects the hematological response. Twenty-eight healthy men participated in two independent experiments. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of four groups: controls (C(NAC) and C(ALA)), N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and alpha-lipoic acid (ALA). 1200 mg of N-acetylcysteine, 600 mg of alpha-lipoic acid or placebo were administered for 8 days in two doses. NAC or ALA administration significantly elevated plasma total antioxidant status (TAS) and reduced protein carbonylation (PC) and lipid peroxidation (TBARS) by more than 30 %. The reduced glutathione (GSH) and hematological parameters changed only in response to NAC administration. NAC significantly elevated the level of GSH (+33%), EPO (+26%), Hb (+9%) and Hct (+9%) compared with C(NAC). The mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and the mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) also increased by more than 12% after NAC. The numerous negative or positive correlations between the measures of TAS, PC, TBARS and hematological parameters were found, which suggest the NAC-induced interaction between pro-antioxidant and hematological values. Our study has shown that both N-acetylcysteine and alpha-lipoic acid intake reveal an antioxidant action, but only N-acetylcysteine improves the haematological response.