[Influence of electroacupuncture intervention on free radical metabolism in athletes undergoing intensive endurance...

To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) intervention on free radical metabolism in athletes during intensive endurance exercise, so as to reveal its mechanism underlying fatigue relief.

Thirty male college student volunteers were equally divided into control group, intensive endurance exercise group (exercise group for short) and EA group. Student volunteers in both exercise and EA groups were asked to conduct fixed quantitative load exercise (Harvard step test) for 30 min, once daily for 15 days. EA was applied to bilateral Xuehai (SP 10), Zusanli (ST36), Taichong (LR3), and Sanyinjiao (SP 6) for 30 min, once daily for 15 days. Serum malondialdehyde (MDA) contents and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity levels on the day before exercise, one day after exercise and 15 days after EA intervention were detected by using thiomalonylurea colorimetric method and xanthine oxidase method, respectively.

Compared with pre-exercise or the control group, serum MDA content and SOD activity after one day's intensive endurance exercise were increased significantly in both exercise and EA groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), and the ratios of SOD/MDA decreased considerably in the latter two groups (P < 0.01). At the time-point of post-EA intervention, serum MDA level was significantly higher in the exercise group than in the control group (P < 0.05), serum MDA content in the EA group was significantly lower than that in the exercise group (P < 0.05), and serum SOD activity in the EA group was significantly higher than that in the exercise group (P < 0.01). The ratio of SOD/ MDA was increased obviously in the EA group than in the exercise group (P < 0.01).

EA can decrease serum MDA content and increase SOD activity and SOD/MDA in athletes experiencing intensive endurance exercise, which may contribute to its effect in relieving athletic fatigue.