Gender and exercise influence on tissue antioxidant vitamin status in rats

Although gender differences in antioxidant status based largely on differing estrogen levels have been postulated, it is not known if other gender based differences in tissue antioxidants exist. This experiment examined whether gender based differences in tissue vitamin C and vitamin E concentration exist, and investigated the possibility of gender based differences in indices of tissue oxidative stress following an acute exercise bout. It was determined that female rats had significantly higher levels of vitamin E in liver and heart tissues than males and that males had significantly more vitamin C in the plantaris muscle than females. However, female rats also had less liver glutathione than males. Acute exercise resulted in significant and equal tissue oxidative stress in both genders as indicated by tissue glutathione status. With some exceptions, tissue vitamin C and vitamin E concentrations were generally unaffected by acute exercise in either gender. Hence, while some gender differences in tissue antioxidant status in rats are evident, these differences do not affect tissue indices of oxidative stress following acute exercise.