Comparison of total antioxidant capacity of salivary, capillary and venous samplings: interest of the salivary total antioxidant capacity on triathletes during training season.

Aim: Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) is an essential parameter to watch over defense system of athletes exposed to an oxidant stress during intensive periods of training. To control this parameter throughout the training period, repetitive biological samples are required. The TAC is usually investigated in venous blood which needs invasive withdrawings.

Nutritional and plasmatic antioxidant vitamins status of ultra endurance athletes.

Objective: The "Marathon des Sables" (MDS) is a competition known to induce oxidative stress. Antioxidant vitamins prevent exercise-induced oxidative damages. The purpose of this study was to evaluate daily intake and plasma level of the main antioxidant vitamins (alpha-tocopherol, vitamin C, beta-carotene and retinol) in 19 male athletes who participated in this competition.

Multivitamin-mineral supplementation prevents lipid peroxidation during "the Marathon des Sables".

Objective: We investigated the effect of a moderate mutivitamin and mineral supplementation containing mainly vitamin C (150.0 mg.day(-1)), vitamin E (24.

Extreme running competition decreases blood antioxidant defense capacity.

Objective: We tested whether an extreme running competition ("Marathon of Sands") might alter the blood's enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant status in 6 well-trained athletes.

Methods: The Marathon of Sands is a competition consisting of six long duration races in the desert in which the athletes carry their own food. Blood samples were collected from an antecubital vein while the athletes were at rest before the competition and then again 72 hours after.

Physical fitness and plasma non-enzymatic antioxidant status at rest and after a wingate test.

We tested seven physical education students whether 30-s sprint anaerobic exercise (Wingate test) would result in oxidative stress (evaluated by lipid radical levels) sufficient to alter plasma non-enzymatic antioxidant status (plasma uric acid, ascorbic acid, alpha-tocopherol, beta-carotene). This study demonstrates that 1) Wingate test increases plasma uric and ascorbic acid concentrations (p <.05), and decreases plasma alpha-tocopherol and beta-carotene levels (p <.