CORRELATION BETWEEN THE IMMUNE SYSTEM AND THE OXIDATIVE STRESS IN SPORTISTS

Abstract

An imbalance between production of oxygen reactive species and antioxidants is defined as oxidative stress. As a result we have cell and tissue damage. Several authors pointed out that oxidative stress could be responsible for several pathological conditions, such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease.It is also involved in the aging process. It is truethat the body'scells produce free radicals during normal metabolic processes and intense physical activity causes oxidative stress. Free radicals produced during exercise are important modulators of muscle and systemic adaptation. Here we will discuss the correlation between prolonged exercise and increased production of oxidants in skeletal muscles, i.e. superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase. It has been also observed, that reactive oxygen species stimulate the mitochondrial biogenesis cascade in response to endurance training, ie. chronic muscle contractions. We can reach the conclusion that exercise causes oxidative stress by increasing the amount of free radicals and decreasing the level of antioxidant enzymes in many tissues and organs. Summarizing, we can affirm that different intensities and forms of exercise result in different amounts of reactive oxygen tosues production. It is true that exercise-induced reactive antigen species can be very useful in stimulating signaling pathways for antioxidant enzyme activity (SOD, GPx and CAT), mitochondrial biogenesis (PGC-1α expression) and glucose metabolism and absorption (insulin sensitivity , GLUT4 expression).Keywords: oxidative stress, free radicals, antioxidants, physical activity