Intense physical training decreases circulating antioxidants and endothelium-dependent vasodilatation in vivo

Physical training increases free radical production and consumes antioxidants. It has previously been shown that acute exercise markedly increases the susceptibility of LDL to oxidation but whether such changes are observed during physical training is unknown. We measured circulating antioxidants, lipids and lipoproteins, and blood flow responses to intrabrachial infusions of endothelium-dependent (acetylcholine, ACh, -N-monomethyl-arginine, -NMMA) and -independent (sodium nitroprusside, SNP) vasoactive agents, before and after 3 months of running in 9 fit male subjects. Maximal aerobic power increased from 53±1 to 58±2 ml/kg min (P<0.02). All circulating antioxidants (uric acid, SH-groups, α-tocopherol, β-carotene, retinol) except ascorbate decreased significantly during training. Endothelium-dependent vasodilatation in forearm vessels decreased by 32–35% (P<0.05), as determined from blood flow responses to both a low (10.8±2.1 vs. 7.3±1.5 ml/dl min, 0 vs. 3 months) and a high (14.8±2.6 vs. 9.6±1.8) ACh dose. The % endothelium-dependent blood flow (% decrease in basal flow by -NMMA), decreased through training from 37±3 to 22±7% (P<0.05). Blood flow responses to SNP remained unchanged. The decrease in uric acid was significantly correlated with the change in the % decrease in blood flow by -NMMA (r=0.74, P<0.05). The lag time for the susceptibility of plasma LDL to oxidation in vitro, LDL size and the concentration of LDL cholesterol remained unchanged. We conclude that relatively intense aerobic training decreases circulating antioxidant concentrations and impairs endothelial function in forearm vessels.