The effects of strength, aerobic, and concurrent exercise on skeletal muscle damage in rats

Abstract

In this study we examined oxidative stress and skeletal muscle damage resulting from acute strength, aerobic, or concurrent exercise in rats. The animals were divided into control (C), strength (SE), aerobic (AE), and combined (CE) exercise groups. They were euthanized at 3 different time-points (6, 24, and 48 h) after acute exercise. SE exercise rats had increased dichlorofluorescein oxidation at 6 h post-exercise and decreased superoxide dismutase activity at all time-points. Glutathione peroxidase activity and sulfhydryl levels were increased in the AE group at 48 h post-exercise. Serum lactate dehydrogenase activity was increased in the SE and CE groups at 24 h and in the AE group at 48 h. Echo intensity was elevated at 24 h for all groups. Forty-eight hours was sufficient for complete recovery from oxidative stress and muscle damage in the SE and CE groups, but not in the AE group.