Lipid peroxidation and total antioxidant status in unprofessional athletes before and after a cardiopulmonary test.

We examined lipid peroxidation, expressed as thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) and total antioxidant status (TAS) before and after a cardiopulmonary test, in 20 sedentary controls and in 62 unprofessional male athletes subdivided into 3 subgroups. The first included subjects who practised endurance sports (14 cyclists and 9 endurance swimmers), the second subjects who practised mixed sports (6 basket players, 6 judoists, 8 water polo players) and the third group subjects who practised power sports (3 sprint runners, 4 weightlifters, 12 sprint swimmers). In the whole group of athletes an increase in TBARS and a decrease in TAS were present at baseline. Subdividing the whole group into three subgroups we observed an increase in TBARS in all and a decrease in TAS only in the endurance and mixed athletes. After the test, TBARS showed a more significant increase in controls compared to the whole group and each subgroup of athletes, while TAS increased only in the whole group and in those who practised mixed sports. In conclusion, at baseline in athletes the oxidative status shows a different behaviour compared to controls, while after the test the antioxidant protection is more marked and it may be related to an increase of antioxidant systems.