Effects of CoQ10 supplementation and swimming training on exhaustive exercise-induced oxidative stress in rat heart

Abstract

This study examined the combined effects of swimming training and coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) supplementation on exhaustive exercise-induced oxidative stress in rat heart. The study was carried out with 4-month-old young adult male Wistar rats. Sixty four rats were divided mainly into two groups: trained and control. Each group was further divided into four subgroups: rest, exhausted, rest with CoQ10, exhausted with CoQ10. The training program consisted of swimming one hour each day, five days a week, for six weeks. At the end of sixth week, rats in exhausted exercise group were forced to swim until exhaustion and then they were immediately sacrificed, while rats in rest group were sacrificed at rest. Training alone or in combination with CoQ10 supplementation reduced to increasing MDA levels due to exhaustive exercise in rat heart (p<0.05). The trained-rest with CoQ10 group showed lower 8-OHdG levels than the control-rest with CoQ10 group. Exhaustive exercise effect was significant on SOD activity. Exhaustive exercise increased GSH levels in control groups while decreased GSH levels in training groups (p<0.05). In conclusion, the results suggest that CoQ10 supplementation combined with training may inhibit lipid peroxidation and DNA damage in the heart tissue. Also, it can be said that SOD activity and GSH levels were not influenced by CoQ10 supplementation (Fig. 4, Tab. 1, Ref. 69).