The effects of exercise on oxidative stress: the biomarker issue
Until a few years ago, free radicals and reactive species were considered as harmful biological entities. However, today it is undisputable that, although in high concentrations they induce oxidative modifications to biomolecules compromising their structure and function, in low or moderate levels they are signalling molecules, they modulate skeletal muscle function, they control antioxidant gene expression and generate favourable exercise adaptations. Physical exercise is inextricably associated with free radical production and oxidative stress generation in blood and almost all other tissues by several molecular and biochemical mechanisms. Thus, it very intriguing to investigate the impact of exercise on cellular, tissue and organismal function under the frame of Redox Biology. A common practice to do that is through measuring biomarkers of oxidative stress (i.e., enzymes, metabolites) which, preferably, are clustered in groups on the basis of their biological function. Alternatively, exercise has been used as an intervention usually applied into different, multifaceted research approaches in order to disturb cell and tissue redox equilibrium. Performance is a crucial endpoint measurement/biomarker of physiological relevance in exercise physiology that can provide mechanistic answers with respect to tissue redox status, exercise adaptations, pathological conditions and diseases.
Until a few years ago, free radicals and reactive species were considered as harmful biological entities. However, today it is undisputable that, although in high concentrations they induce oxidative modifications to biomolecules compromising their structure and function, in low or moderate levels they are signalling molecules, they modulate skeletal muscle function, they control antioxidant gene expression and generate favourable exercise adaptations. Physical exercise is inextricably associated with free radical production and oxidative stress generation in blood and almost all other tissues by several molecular and biochemical mechanisms. Thus, it very intriguing to investigate the impact of exercise on cellular, tissue and organismal function under the frame of Redox Biology. A common practice to do that is through measuring biomarkers of oxidative stress (i.e., enzymes, metabolites) which, preferably, are clustered in groups on the basis of their biological function. Alternatively, exercise has been used as an intervention usually applied into different, multifaceted research approaches in order to disturb cell and tissue redox equilibrium. Performance is a crucial endpoint measurement/biomarker of physiological relevance in exercise physiology that can provide mechanistic answers with respect to tissue redox status, exercise adaptations, pathological conditions and diseases.