Int J Sports Med 2000; 21(5): 325-331
DOI: 10.1055/s-2000-3778
Physiology and Biochemistry
Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Effects of a Training Taper on Tissue Damage Indices, Serum Antioxidant Capacity and Half-Marathon Running Performance

R. B. Child, D. M. Wilkinson, J. L. Fallowfield
  • Exercise Physiology Research Group, University College Chichester, Chichester, UK
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
31 December 2000 (online)

This study investigated the effects of a training taper on muscle damage indices and performance. Two matched groups of seven male runners each performed two self paced half-marathons on a motorised treadmill. After the first half-marathon one group maintained their normal weekly training volume, while the taper group progressively reduced weekly training volume by 85 %. Venous blood was drawn immediately before and after the first half-marathon. Subsequent samples were taken 7 days later, immediately before and after the second half-marathon. Serum samples were analysed for antioxidant capacity, urate concentration and creatine kinase activity (CK). The plasma concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) was used as a marker of lipid peroxidation. There were no differences in running performance either between the first and second half-marathon within each group, or between groups (86.75 ± 2.65 min and 87.67 ± 2.87 min for the “normal training” group vs 85.62 ± 2.81 min and 85.39 ± 3.52 min for the “training taper” group). Serum antioxidant capacity and CK were increased over time (P < 0.05, ANOVA), with significant elevations after each half-marathon (P < 0.025, t-test). Elevations in MDA attained significance for the first half-marathon (P < 0.05, t-test) when data for both subject groups were pooled. There were no differences in serum antioxidant capacity, or urate concentration between groups. Post-exercise CK was lower following the training taper (149 ± 22 % baseline, for the training taper vs 269 ± 55 % baseline for the normal training group, P < 0.05, t-test). Despite evidence that the training taper reduced muscle damage, relative to the normal training group, half-marathon performance was not enhanced.

References

  • 1 Aikawa K M, Quintanilha A T, de Lumen B O, Brooks G A, Packer L. Exercise endurance-training alters vitamin E tissue levels and red cell hemolysis in rodents.  Biosci Rep. 1984;  4 253-257
  • 2 Armstrong R B, Warren G L, Warren J A. Mechanisms of exercise-induced muscle fibre injury.  Sports Med. 1991;  12 184-207
  • 3 Brandon L J. Physiological factors associated with middle and long distance running performance.  Sports Med. 1995;  19 268-277
  • 4 Bowles D K, Torgan C E, Ebner S, Kehrer J P, Ivy J L, Starnes J W. Effects of acute submaximal exercise on skeletal muscle vitamin E.  Free Rad Res Commun. 1991;  14 139-143
  • 5 Brooks G, Gillam I, Kanter M, Packer L. Proceedings of the panel discussion: Antioxidants and the elite athlete. LaGrange; Henkel Fine Chemicals 1992: 1-21
  • 6 Brown S J, Child R B, Day S H, Donnelly A E. Exercise-induced skeletal muscle damage and adaptation following repeated bouts of eccentric muscle contractions.  J Sports Sci. 1997;  15 215-222
  • 7 Byrnes W C, Clarkson P M, White J S, Hsieh S S, Frykman P N, Maughan R J. Delayed onset muscle soreness following repeated bouts of downhill running.  J Appl Physiol. 1985;  59 710-715
  • 8 Child R B, Brown S J, Day S H, Donnelly A E. Functional and biochemical changes in indices of muscle damage, lipid peroxidation and lysosomal enzyme release, following eccentric exercise in humans.  J Physiol. 1998;  509.P 46P-47P
  • 9 Child R B, Brown S J, Day S H, Donnelly A E, Roper H, Saxton J M. Changes in indices of antioxidant status, lipid peroxidation and inflammation in human skeletal muscle after eccentric muscle actions.  Clin Sci. 1999;  96 105-115
  • 10 Child R B, Brown S J, Day S H, Saxton J M, Donnelly A E. Manipulation of knee extensor force using percutaneous electrical myostimulation during eccentric actions: Effects on indices of muscle damage in humans.  Int J Sports Med. 1998;  19 468-473
  • 11 Corbucci G G, Montanari G, Cooper M B, Jones D A, Edwards R HT. The effect of exertion on mitochondrial oxidative capacity and on some antioxidant mechanisms in muscle from marathon runners.  Int J Sports Med. 1984;  5 135
  • 12 Davies K JA, Quintanilha A T, Brooks G A, Packer L. Free radicals and tissue damage produced by exercise.  Biochem Biophys Res Com. 1982;  107 1198-1205
  • 13 Dill D B, Costill D L. Calculation of percentage changes in volumes of blood, plasma and red cells in dehydration.  J Appl Physiol. 1974;  37 247-248
  • 14 Duthie G G, Robertson J D, Maughan R J, Morrice P C. Blood antioxidant status and erythrocyte lipid peroxidation following distance running.  Arch Biochem Biophys. 1990;  282 73-83
  • 15 Faulkner J A, Brooks S, Opiteck J. Injury to skeletal muscle fibers during contractions: Conditions of occurrence and prevention.  Physical Therapy. 1993;  73 911-921
  • 16 Fry R W, Morton A R, Keast D. Periodisation of training stress: A review.  Can J Spt Sci. 1992;  17 234-240
  • 17 Gauduel Y, Menasche P, Duvelleroy M. Enzyme release and mitochondrial activity in reoxygenated cardiac muscle. Relationship with oxygen induced lipid peroxidation.  Gen Physiol Biophys. 1989;  8 327-340
  • 18 Gleeson M, Robertson J D, Maughan R J. Influence of exercise on ascorbic acid status in man.  Clin Sci. 1987;  73 501-505
  • 19 Gohil K, Rothfuss L, Lang J, Packer L. Effect of exercise training on tissue vitamin E and ubiquinone content.  J Appl Physiol. 1987;  63 1638-1641
  • 20 Hikida R S, Staron R S, Hagerman F C, Sherman W M, Costill D L. Muscle fiber necrosis associated with human marathon runners.  J Neurol Sci. 1983;  59 185-203
  • 21 Hooper S L, Makinnon L T. Monitoring overtraining in athletes.  Sports Med. 1995;  20 321-327
  • 22 Houmard J A, Scott B K, Justice C L, Chenier T C. The effects of taper on performance in distance runners.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1994;  26 624-631
  • 23 Houmard J A. Impact of reduced training on performance in endurance athletes.  Sports Med. 1991;  12 380-393
  • 24 Jackson M J, Edwards R HT, Symons M CR. Electron spin resonance studies of intact mammalian skeletal muscle.  Biochem Biophys Acta. 1985;  847 185-190
  • 25 Ji L. Gatorade Sports Science Exchange. Roundtable. Exercise nutrition and free radicals: What's the connection?. 1994 15: Vol 5: 380-393
  • 26 Ji L L. Exercise and oxidative stress: Role of cellular antioxidant systems 1995.  Exerc Sport Sci Rev. 1995;  23 135-166
  • 27 Kanter M M, Lesmes G R, Kaminsky L A, La Ham-Saeger J, Nequin N D. Serum creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase changes following an eighty kilometer race.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 1988;  57 60-63
  • 28 Keul J, Doll E, Koppler D. Oxidative energy supply. In: Jokl E (ed) Energy metabolism in human muscle. Basel; Karger 1972
  • 29 Kuipers H, Janssen G ME, Bosman F, Frederik P M, Geurten P. Structural and ultrastructural changes in skeletal muscle associated with long-distance training and running.  Int J Sports Med. 1989;  10 S156-S159
  • 30 Marin E, Kretzschmar M, Arokoski J, Hanninen O, Klinger W. Enzymes of glutathione synthesis in dog skeletal muscles and their response to training.  Acta Physiol Scand. 1993;  147 369-373
  • 31 McKenzie D C. Markers of excessive exercise.  Can J Appl Physiol. 1999;  24 66-73
  • 32 Maughan R J, Donnelly A E, Gleeson M, Whiting P H, Walker K A, Clough P J. Delayed-onset muscle damage and lipid peroxidation in man after a downhill run.  Muscle Nerve. 1989;  12 322-336
  • 33 Mujika I. The influence of training characteristics and tapering on the adaptation in highly trained individuals: A review.  Int J Sports Med. 1998;  19 439-446
  • 34 Novelli G P, Bracciotti G, Falsini S. Spin-trappers and vitamin E prolong endurance to muscle fatigue in mice.  Free Rad Biol Med. 1990;  8 9-13
  • 35 Peronnet F, Thibault G. Mathematical analysis of running performance and world running records.  J Appl Physiol. 1989;  67 453-465
  • 36 Pfafferott C, Meiselman H, Hochstein P. The effect of malondialdehyde on erythrocyte deformability.  Blood. 1982;  59 12-15
  • 37 Rajguru S U, Yeargans G S, Seidler N W. Exercise causes oxidative damage to rat skeletal muscle microsomes while increasing cellular sulfhydryls.  Life Sciences. 1994;  54 149-157
  • 38 Reid M B, Stokic D S, Koch S M, Khawli F A, Leis A A. N-Acetylcysteine inhibits muscle fatigue in humans.  J Clin Invest. 1994;  94 2468-2474
  • 39 Reznick A Z, Witt E, Matsumoto M, Packer L. Vitamin E inhibits protein oxidation in skeletal muscle of resting and exercised rats.  Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1992;  189 801-806
  • 40 Salminen A, Vihko V. Lipid peroxidation in exercise myopathy.  Exp Mol Pathol. 1983;  38 380-388
  • 41 Sen C K, Marin E, Kretzschmar M, Hanninen O. Skeletal muscle and liver glutathione homeostasis in response to training, exercise, and immobilization.  J Appl Physiol. 1992;  73 1265-1272
  • 42 Sheply B, MacDougall J D, Cipriano N, Sutton J R, Tarnopolsky M A, Coates G. Physiologic effects of tapering in highly trained athletes.  J Appl Physiol. 1992;  72 706-711
  • 43 Sjodin B, Hellsten-Westing Y, Apple F S. Biochemical mechanisms for free radical formation during exercise.  Sports Med. 1990;  10 236-254
  • 44 van den Berg J JM, Kuypers F A, Roelofsen B, Op den Kamp J AF. The cooperative action of vitamins E and C in the protection against peroxidation of parinaric acid in human erythrocyte membranes.  Chem Phys Lipids. 1990;  53 309-320
  • 45 Venditti P, Di Meo S. Effect of training on antioxidant capacity, tissue damage, and endurance of adult male rats.  Int J Sports Med. 1997;  18 497-502
  • 46 Whitehead T, Thorpe G HG, Maxwell S. Enhanced chemiluminescent assay for antioxidant capacity in biological fluids.   Anal Chim Acta. 1992;  226 265-277
  • 47 Wilmore J H, Costill D L. Optimizing performance in sport.  Physiology of Sport and Exercise. Champaign, Illinois; Human Kinetics 1994: 309
  • 48 Woodhall A, Britton G, Jackson M. Carotenoids and protection of phospholipids in solution or in liposomes against oxidation by peroxyl radicals: Relationship between carotenoid structure and protective ability.  Biochim Biophys Acta. 1997;  1336 575-586
  • 49 Young I S, Trimble E R. Measurement of malondialdehyde in plasma by high performance liquid chromatography with fluorimetric detection.  Ann Clin Biochem. 1991;  28 504-508

Robert B. Child,Ph.D. 

Exercise Physiology Research Group University College Chichester

College Lane Chichester West Sussex, PO19 4PE UK

Phone: Phone:+ 44 (1243) 816-387

Fax: Fax:+ 44 (1243) 816-080

Email: E-mail:rchild@chihe.ac.uk