Effects of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy on Inflammation, Oxidative/Antioxidant Balance, and Muscle Damage after Acute Exercise in Normobaric, Normoxic and Hypobaric, Hypoxic Environments: A Pilot Study

Jinhee Woo, Jae-Hee Min, Yul-Hyo Lee and Hee-Tae Roh
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Jinhee Woo: Department of Physical Education, College of Arts and Physical Education, Dong-A University, Busan 49315, Korea
Jae-Hee Min: Department of Physical Education, College of Arts and Physical Education, Dong-A University, Busan 49315, Korea
Yul-Hyo Lee: Department of Taekwondo, Youngsan University, Yangsan-si 50510, Korea
Hee-Tae Roh: Department of Physical Education, College of Arts and Physical Education, Dong-A University, Busan 49315, Korea

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 20, 1-10

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) on inflammation, the oxidative/antioxidant balance, and muscle damage after acute exercise in normobaric, normoxic (NN) and hypobaric, hypoxic (HH) environments. Eighteen healthy males were selected and randomly assigned to three groups: exercise in NN conditions (NN group, n = 6), HBOT treatment after exercise in NN conditions (HNN group, n = 6), and HBOT treatment after exercise in HH conditions (HHH group, n = 6). All subjects performed treadmill running for 60 min at 75–80% maximum heart rate (HRmax) exercise intensity under each condition. The HBOT treatments consisted of breathing 100% oxygen at 2.5 atmosphere absolute (ATA) for 60 min. Blood samples were collected before exercise (BE), after exercise (AE), and after HBOT (AH) to examine inflammation (fibrinogen, interleukin-6 [IL-6], and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)), the oxidative/antioxidant balance (derivatives of reactive oxygen metabolites (d-ROMs) and the biological antioxidant potential (BAP)), and muscle damage (creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)). Plasma fibrinogen, serum IL-6, CK, and LDH levels were significantly increased AE compared to BE in all groups ( p < 0.05). Plasma fibrinogen levels were significantly decreased AH compared to AE in all groups ( p < 0.05), and the HNN group had a significantly lower AH compared to BE ( p < 0.05). Serum IL-6 levels were significantly decreased AH compared to AE in the HNN and HHH groups ( p < 0.05). Serum CK levels were significantly decreased AH compared to AE in the HHH group ( p < 0.05). Serum LDH levels were significantly decreased AH compared to AE in the HNN and HHH groups ( p < 0.05), and the NN and HNN groups had significantly higher AH serum LDH levels compared to BE ( p < 0.05). These results suggest that acute exercise in both the NN and HH environments could induce temporary inflammatory responses and muscle damage, whereas HBOT treatment may be effective in alleviating exercise-induced inflammatory responses and muscle damage.

Keywords: healthy young individuals; acute exercise; inflammation; oxidative stress; muscle damage; hypoxia; hyperbaric oxygen therapy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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