Trace Elements, Antioxidants and Bone

Summary

Exercise is reported to enhance the endogenous antioxidant defences. Repeated episodes of aerobic exercise has been reported to induce the expression of antioxidant enzymes. It is unknown whether these adaptive mechanisms differ with age. In animal models reduced glutathione (GSH) appears to be an important nonenzymatic antioxidant that plays a critical role in protection against oxidative stress induced by exercise. Exercise may be associated with increased levels of serum glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity, and this was particularly so when coupled with dietary restriction in an animal model.

Few studies have looked at antioxidant status and markers of bone health in population groups.

Project Status : November 2008

Data analysis for this study is based on the exercise and nutrition study undertaken on active gymnasts and sedentary controls (Nurmi-Lawton et al 2004).

Key antioxidant profiles has been measured using established methodologies and trace elements have been assessed using HPLC.

Full analysis of the data is currently underway and further results will be posted soon.

Project Objectives

The principle objectives of this PhD study are:

To investigate whether antioxidant status is different in adolescent female gymnasts in comparison to sedentary girls, matched for age.

To determine whether there is any difference in trace element status and dietary intake of trace elements in adolescent females engaged in high intensity exercise in comparision to sedentary age-matched controls.

To examine the impact of key lifestyle factors and body size on antioxidant status and trace elements.

To assess whether antioxidant status affects markers of bone health

Results and Findings

Several full peer-reviewed papers are being prepared for publication together with abstracts for the 7th International Symposium on Nutritional Aspects of Osteoporosis, Lausanne and the 2009 Nutrition Society Summer Symposium, University of Surrey.

The following abstract was presented at the Nutrition Society meeting held at the University of Nottingham, July 2008:

Al-Shammari E., Nurmi-Lawton JA., Shafi S., Lanham-New SA., Ferns GAA. Higher GPx activity in physically active adolescent females in comparison to healthy sedentary controls. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 2008 (in press)