Effect of Short-Term Maximal Exercise on Biochemical Markers of Muscle Damage, Total Antioxidant Status, and Homocysteine Levels in Football Players

Purpose: prolonged physical exercise results in transient elevations of biochemical markers of muscular damage. this study examined the effect of short-term maximal exercise on these markers, homocysteine levels (hcy), and total antioxidant status (tas) in trained subjects. methods: eighteen male football players participated in this study. blood samples were collected 5-min before and 3-min after a 30-s wingate test. results: the results indicated that plasma biochemical markers of muscle injury increased significantly after the wingate test (p<0.05). moreover, significant increase of white blood cells and their main subpopulations (i.e. monocytes, neutrophiles, and lymphocytes) (p<0.001) has been observed. likewise, uric acid, total bilirubin, and tas increased significantly after exercise (p<0.05). however, hcy levels were unaffected by the wingate test (for 3-min post-exercise measurement). conclusions: short-term maximal exercise (e.g. 30-s wingate test) is of sufficient intensity and duration to increase markers of muscle damage, and tas; but not hcy levels. increases in the selected enzymes probably come primarily from muscle damage, rather than liver damage. moreover, increase of tas confirms the wingate test induced oxidative stress.