Acute and chronic watercress supplementation attenuates exercise-induced peripheral mononuclear cell DNA damage and lipid peroxidation

Fogarty, Mark C.; Hughes, Ciara M.; Burke, George; Brown, John C.; Davison, Gareth W.

Abstract

Pharmacological antioxidant vitamins have previously been investigated for a prophylactic effect against exercise-induced oxidative stress. However, large doses are often required and may lead to a state of pro-oxidation and oxidative damage. Watercress contains an array of nutritional compounds such as β-carotene and α-tocopherol which may increase protection against exercise-induced oxidative stress. The present randomised controlled investigation was designed to test the hypothesis that acute (consumption 2h before exercise) and chronic (8 weeks consumption) watercress supplementation can attenuate exercise-induced oxidative stress. A total of ten apparently healthy male subjects (age 23 (sd 4) years, stature 179 (sd 10)cm and body mass 74 (sd 15)kg) were recruited to complete the 8-week chronic watercress intervention period (and then 8 weeks of control, with no ingestion) of the experiment before crossing over in order to compete the single-dose acute phase (with control, no ingestion). Blood samples were taken at baseline (pre-supplementation), at rest (pre-exercise) and following exercise. Each subject completed an incremental exercise test to volitional exhaustion following chronic and acute watercress supplementation or control. The main findings show an exercise-induced increase in DNA damage and lipid peroxidation over both acute and chronic control supplementation phases (P<0·05 v. supplementation), while acute and chronic watercress attenuated DNA damage and lipid peroxidation and decreased H2O2 accumulation following exhaustive exercise (P<0·05 v. control). A marked increase in the main lipid-soluble antioxidants (α-tocopherol, γ-tocopherol and xanthophyll) was observed following watercress supplementation (P<0·05 v. control) in both experimental phases. These findings suggest that short- and long-term watercress ingestion has potential antioxidant effects against exercise-induced DNA damage and lipid peroxidation.

Citation

Fogarty, M. C., Hughes, C. M., Burke, G., Brown, J. C., & Davison, G. W. (2013). Acute and chronic watercress supplementation attenuates exercise-induced peripheral mononuclear cell DNA damage and lipid peroxidation. British Journal of Nutrition, 109(2), 293-301. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114512000992

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Feb 13, 2012
• Online Publication Date: Apr 5, 2012
• Publication Date: Jan 28, 2013
• Deposit Date: Nov 13, 2014
• Journal: The British journal of nutrition
• Print ISSN: 1475-2662
• Electronic ISSN: 1475-2662
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 109
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 293-301
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114512000992
• Keywords: Exhaustive exercise; Watercress prophylaxis; DNA damage; Reactive oxygen species
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/469080
• Publisher URL: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/acute-and-chronic-watercress-supplementation-attenuates-exerciseinduced-peripheral-mononuclear-cell-dna-damage-and-lipid-peroxidation/3063DCFA3E9F6D2E72EA6B2DBAB89751