Oxidative stress response to different exercise intensity with an automated assay: thiol/disulphide homeostasis

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different intensity treadmill exercises on the thiol disulphide homeostasis which is a new marker of oxidative stress in rats. Male albino Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups as follows: control (CNT), low (LEx), moderate (MEx) and high-intensity exercise (HEx) group. Exercise was performed for 4 weeks. Following completion of the experimental protocol, serum total thiol, native thiol and disulphide concentrations were determined using a novel automated measurement method. Additionally, dynamic disulphide status, reduced thiol, oxidised thiol and thiol oxidation reduction percentage ratios were compared among the groups. Disulphide levels were significantly lower in MEx group and highest in CNT group (<i>p</i> = .047). The lowest oxidised thiol and the highest reduced thiol were determined in CNT group (<i>p</i> = .086; <i>p</i> = .083). These findings indicate that moderate-intensity exercise is more effective in reducing oxidative stress than low and high-intensity exercise.