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Int J Sports Med 2000; 21(5): 369-374
DOI: 10.1055/s-2000-3777
Nutrition
Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Vitamin E Supplementation Attenuates Leakage of Enzymes Following 6 Successive Days of Running Training

H. Itoh1 , T. Ohkuwa1 , Y. Yamazaki1 , T. Shimoda 2 , A. Wakayama 3 , S. Tamura 4 , T. Yamamoto 5 , Y. Sato 5 , M. Miyamura 5
  • 1 Department of General Studies, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Nagoya, Japan
  • 2 Chubu University, Kasugai, Japan
  • 3 Tokyo Women's College of Physical Education, Kunitachi, Japan
  • 4 Institute of Sports Medicine and Science, Agui, Japan
  • 5 Research Center of Health, Physical Fitness and Sports, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
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Publication History

Publication Date:
31 December 2000 (online)

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The purpose of this study was to examine whether vitamin E supplementation in humans would attenuate an increase of serum enzymes as an indirect marker of muscle damage following a sudden large increase in the running distance in a 6-day running training or not. A randomized and placebo-controlled study was carried out on fourteen male runners who were supplied vitamin E (α-tocopherol 1200 IU × day-1; E) or placebo (P) 4 weeks prior to (T1) and during 6 successive days of running training (48.3 ± 5.7 km × day-1, means ± SD). Resting venous blood samples were obtained before maximal treadmill running, at T1, the day immediately before (T2), the next day (T3), and three weeks (T4) after the running training. Serum levels of α-tocopherol, lipid peroxidation products (thiobarbituric acid; TBA), creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and LDH isozyme 1 - 5 were quantitatively analyzed. No significant difference was found in maximal oxygen uptake (V˙O2max) and maximal heart rates following the exhaustive exercise between the P and E group during the experiments. Vitamin E supplementation significantly increased serum α-tocopherol (p < 0.001) and decreased TBA levels (p < 0.001) compared with pre-supplementation levels. Although serum CK and LDH activities increased significantly at T3 in either group, significantly lower CK (p < 0.05) and LDH (p < 0.001) levels were observed in the E group compared with the P group. The ratio of LDH1 to LDH2 (LDH1/LDH2) decreased significantly at T3 in either group compared with the T1 levels, since there was no significant difference in the LDH1/LDH2 between the P and E group throughout the experiments. These results indicate that vitamin E supplementation can reduce the leakage of CK and LDH following 6 successive days of endurance running. The protective effect of vitamin E against free radicals probably inhibits free-radical-induced muscle damage caused by a sudden large increase in the running distance.

Key words:

Vitamin E, thiobarbituric acid, creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, endurance running.

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Hiroshi Itoh,Ph.D. 

Department of General Studies Nagoya Institute of Technology

Showa-ku Nagoya 466-8555 Japan

Phone: Phone:+ 81-52-735-5199

Fax: Fax:+ 81-52-735-5199

Email: E-mail:itoh@ks.kyy.nitech.ac.jp

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