ABSTRACT

Aim: We aimed to investigate the overall effects of hypoxic/normoxic exercise and hypoxia on redox status in both systemic circulation and brain, and to prove whether the variations in plasma redox status could affect the brain’s own redox homeostasis, vice versa.

Methods: We designed hypoxic, normoxic exercise groups with their respective controls. We studied on redox status biomarkers i.e., hydroperoxide, low molecular weight thiols, protein thiols, total thiols, and advanced oxidation protein products in frontal cortex; total antioxidant and total oxidant status in the plasma.

Results: There is no statistically significant difference observed in redox homeostasis of the brain after hypoxic and/or normoxic exercise or hypoxia itself with an increased systemic oxidant status.

Conclusions: Live in hypoxia and exercise at normoxia might diminish the hazardous effect of ROS on the brain at hypoxia. From our findings, thiols, which are the indicators of the antioxidant power of the brain, are found to be protected in groups that are exposed to long-term hypoxia and exercise at normoxia. It might be possible that people who are exposed to hypoxia will be least affected by this damage with normoxic exercise, or even will not be affected at all.

Keywords: Hypoxic exercise, Redox homeostasis, Brain, Plasma