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European Journal of Applied Physiology
Published in: European Journal of Applied Physiology 4/2016

01-04-2016 | Original Article

The rat closely mimics oxidative stress and inflammation in humans after exercise but not after exercise combined with vitamin C administration

Authors: Aristidis S. Veskoukis, Georgios Goutianos, Vassilis Paschalis, Nikos V. Margaritelis, Aikaterini Tzioura, Konstantina Dipla, Andreas Zafeiridis, Ioannis S. Vrabas, Antonios Kyparos, Michalis G. Nikolaidis

Published in: European Journal of Applied Physiology | Issue 4/2016

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the present study was to directly compare oxidative stress and inflammation responses between rats and humans.

Methods

We contrasted rat and human oxidative stress and inflammatory responses to exercise (pro-oxidant stimulus) and/or vitamin C (anti-oxidant stimulus) administration. Vitamin C was administered orally in both species (16 mg kg−1 of body weight). Twelve redox biomarkers and seven inflammatory biomarkers were determined in plasma and erythrocytes pre- and post-exercise or pre- and post-exercise combined with vitamin C administration.

Results

Exercise increased oxidative stress and induced an inflammatory state in rats and humans. There were only 1/19 significant species × exercise interactions (catalase), indicating similar responses to exercise between rats and humans in redox and inflammatory biomarkers. Vitamin C decreased oxidative stress and increased antioxidant capacity only in humans and did not affect the redox state of rats. In contrast, vitamin C induced an anti-inflammatory state only in rats and did not affect the inflammatory state of humans. There were 10/19 significant species × vitamin C interactions, indicating that rats poorly mimic human oxidative stress and inflammatory responses to vitamin C administration. Exercise after acute vitamin C administration altered redox state only in humans and did not affect the redox state of rats. On the contrary, inflammation biomarkers changed similarly after exercise combined with vitamin C in both rats and humans.

Conclusions

The rat adequately mimics human responses to exercise in basic blood redox/inflammatory profile, yet this is not the case after exercise combined with vitamin C administration.
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Metadata
Title
The rat closely mimics oxidative stress and inflammation in humans after exercise but not after exercise combined with vitamin C administration
Authors
Aristidis S. Veskoukis
Georgios Goutianos
Vassilis Paschalis
Nikos V. Margaritelis
Aikaterini Tzioura
Konstantina Dipla
Andreas Zafeiridis
Ioannis S. Vrabas
Antonios Kyparos
Michalis G. Nikolaidis
Publication date
01-04-2016
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
European Journal of Applied Physiology / Issue 4/2016
Print ISSN: 1439-6319
Electronic ISSN: 1439-6327
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-016-3336-8

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