Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Physical Activity Measurement in Children Accepting Table Tennis Training
Published on: July 27, 2022
Physical activity, antioxidant status, and protein modification in adolescent athletes
Anja Carlsohn1, Sascha Rohn, Frank Mayer
1Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Institute of Nutritional Science, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany. anja.carlsohn@uni-potsdam.de
Unlabelled:
Exercise may increase reactive oxygen species production, which might impair cell integrity and contractile function of muscle cells. However, little is known about the effect of regular exercise on the antioxidant status of adolescents.
Purpose:
This study aimed to evaluate the impact of exercise on the antioxidant status and protein modifications in adolescent athletes.
Methods:
In 90 athletes and 18 controls (16 +/- 2 yr), exercise-related energy expenditure was calculated on the basis of a 7-d activity protocol. Antioxidant intake and plasma concentrations of alpha-tocopherol, carotenoids, and uric acid were analyzed. Plasma antioxidant activity was determined by Trolox equivalent (TE) antioxidant capacity and electron spin resonance spectrometry. Protein modifications were assessed with structural changes of transthyretin using a matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Data were analyzed by two-way ANOVA and post hoc by the Tukey-Kramer test (alpha = 0.05).
Results:
Antioxidant intake correlated with energy intake and was within the recommended daily allowance for vitamins C and E and beta-carotene. Plasma levels of neither nutritional antioxidants nor uric acid differed between the groups. TE antioxidant capacity was higher in athletes (men = 1.47 +/- 0.2 mmol TE per liter, women = 1.45 +/- 0.2 mmol TE per liter) compared with controls (men = 1.17 +/- 0.04 mmol TE per liter, women = 1.14 +/- 0.04 mmol TE per liter) and increased with exercise-related energy expenditure (P = 0.007). Transthyretin cysteinylation rate differed between the groups, with the highest rate of protein modifications in moderately active subjects (P = 0.007).
Conclusions:
Results suggest that if the nutritional choice of athletes is well balanced, enough antioxidants are provided to meet recommended amounts. Moreover, regular exercise increases blood antioxidant capacity in young athletes, whereas chronic exercise was not shown to promote protein modifications. Thus, in young athletes who are sufficiently supplied with antioxidants, beneficial effects of exercise on antioxidant status rather than on oxidative stress may be anticipated.
Related Concept Videos
Exercise and Muscle Performance
Endurance exercises
Endurance exercises involve running, swimming, or cycling, which require repetitive movements with low force output. When a person engages in endurance exercise, a few noticeable changes occur in their skeletal muscles. For instance, the number of capillaries...
Protein Modifications in the RER
Broadly, these modifications can be categorized into four main categories — glycosylation, formation of disulfide bonds, assembly of protein subunits, and specific proteolytic cleavages like removal of signal sequences.
Exercise and Cardiovascular Response
Light to moderate physical activity initiates a series of interconnected responses in the body. The heart rate modestly increases in anticipation of the workout, followed by widespread vasodilation as oxygen consumption by skeletal muscles increases. This results in decreased peripheral resistance, increased capillary blood flow, and accelerated...
Exercise and Cardiac Output
Sustained exercise increases the muscles' oxygen demand, which can be met...
Overview of Protein Metabolism
Amino acids play various roles in the body once they are absorbed into cells. They are restructured...
