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The relationship between exercise-induced oxidative stress and the menstrual cycle

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between exercise-induced oxidative stress and the menstrual cycle in healthy sedentary woman. Eighteen women with regular menstrual cycles participated in this research. The subjects monitored their basal body temperature (BBT) and carried out a urinary ovulation test (twice) for 2 months prior to the study to determine their menstrual cycle. The subjects performed bicycle ergometer exercise (for 30 min at 60% V̇O2max) in each phase (menses, follicular and luteal phases) of the menstrual cycle. Serum estradiol and progesterone concentrations were determined from blood that was collected at rest. Serum thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) and extracellular superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD) were determined as markers of oxidative stress in blood samples collected at rest and after exercise. TBARS was significantly lower after exercise [2.4 (0.5) nmol/ml] in the follicular phase, and T-SOD was significantly lower after exercise [3.2 (1.2) U/ml] in the luteal phase. EC-SOD did not show a significant change after exercise during each phase of the menstrual cycle. Furthermore, there was a negative correlation between estradiol and ΔT-SOD (r=−0.46, P<0.05) and between estradiol and ΔEC-SOD (r=−0.55, P<0.05) during the menses. All data are presented as the mean value and its standard deviation.The results of this study suggest that when the estradiol level is high in a menstrual cycle, free radicals produced as a consequence of exercise may be easily eliminated by sedentary women with normal menstrual cycles.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Tsukuba University Grad, School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, 1-1-1, Tennodai Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8574, Japan

    Mi Hyun Joo

  2. PCL, 62-22, Tsukubamachi, 845-0065, Isahaya-shi, Nagasaki-ken, Japan

    Eisuke Maehata

  3. Laboratory of Pharmaceutics, Gifu Pharmaceutical University, 502-8585, Gifu, Japan

    Tetsuo Adachi

  4. Master’s Program in Health and Physical Education, University of Tsukuba, 305-8574, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan

    Akiko Ishida

  5. Institute of Community Medicine, University of Tsukuba, 305-8574, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan

    Fumie Murai

  6. Institute of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 305-8574, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan

    Noboru Mesaki

Authors
  1. Mi Hyun Joo
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  2. Eisuke Maehata
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  3. Tetsuo Adachi
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  4. Akiko Ishida
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  5. Fumie Murai
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  6. Noboru Mesaki
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Correspondence to Mi Hyun Joo.

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Joo, M.H., Maehata, E., Adachi, T. et al. The relationship between exercise-induced oxidative stress and the menstrual cycle. Eur J Appl Physiol 93, 82–86 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-004-1168-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-004-1168-4

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