Effect of exercise, synthetic anabolic steroids and protein intake on DNA damage in trained and untrained men

Abstract

BackgroundThe role of exercise in oxidative stress and genomic damage was evaluated as the main target population of ASS and protein supplement in usually physical active individuals. Therefore, the purposes of this study were to determine the effects of exercise and abuse of synthetic anabolic steroids and food supplements on micronuclei frequency in buccal cells and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) as markers for DNA damage. MethodsThe study included one hundred males aged 17–44 years, distributed into five distinct groups including Group I: 20 bodybuilder individuals with AAS consumption, Group II: 20 bodybuilder individuals with diet supplement (proteins) consumption. Group III: 20 bodybuilders without AAS and diet supplement (proteins) consumption, Group IV: 20 football players without AAS and proteins consumption, and Group V 20 non-athletes without diet supplement or AAS consumption. ResultsThe mean age + standard deviation (SD) of groups I, II, III, IV and V were (27.00 ± 5.53, 27.85 ± 5.60, 29.70 ± 8.04, 22.35 ± 3.89 and 26.05 ± 6.42, respectively. The mean of BMI values was significantly different among groups (p < .0001), being much higher for the group I (26.77 ± 1.64) than for group V (22.78 ± 1.53***). Notably, group I and II exhibited elevation in 8-OHdG concentration (3.19 ± 0.35 and 3.28 ± 1.66, respectively) compared to those from the other groups, not being statistically significant. In addition no statically difference was observed according to frequency of micronuclei in buccal cells. ConclusionOur results outlined that exceeded usage of AAS or food supplement (proteins) exerted no increasing effects of oxidative DNA and/or chromosomal aberration accounting for serum 8-OHdG and micronuclei in buccal cells. These are possibly due to the adaptive responses such as up regulation of DNA repair systems and enhancement of the anti-oxidant capacity in highly-trained individuals.