Sexual activity affects the redox profile along the aging process in male rats

The disposable soma theory postulates that aging might be the result of tradeoffs between early life reproduction and longevity, thereby involving the costs of reproduction in the expected lifespan. It is known that redox biochemistry plays a major role in these processes. To assess long term effects of reproduction, we analyzed redox rates and the testosterone levels at four different ages, and we performed a principal component analysis between redox measures of five different organs followed by a cluster analysis to determine correlations. The correlations among redox measures between organs were influenced more by reproduction than by age. Non breeders showed no alterations along the aging process up to 24 months, at which point differences were seen. Among breeders, however, we saw differences between three age clusters: cluster 1, 6 month old-animals; cluster 2, 12 month old animals, and cluster 3, 3 and 24 month-old animals. The results show differences between male breeders and non breeders, and provide evidence that oxidative stress plays a role in aging, and that reproduction alters the redox profiles of males.