Action of Essential Fatty Acids on the Expression of Antioxidant Genes and Athletic Performance

Scientific Basis of the Action of Foods Rich in Essential Fatty Acids on the Expression of Antioxidant Genes and Athletic Performance

There are conflicting evidences of the effects of dietary supplementation with polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) on athletic performance. The investigators working hypothesis is based on the polyunsaturated fatty acids, given its pro-oxidative character and also by its action on transcription factors can modulate the antioxidant response and oxidative damage induced by physical activity.The overall objective of the study is to establish situations improving athletic performance and study the oxidative balance by manipulation of feeding patterns and consumption of nutritional supplements and investigate the involved mechanisms.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Exercise; Oxidative Stress; Athletic Performance; Training Season; Antioxidant Capabilities
• Intervention / Treatment: Dietary supplement: Docosahexaenoic acid diet supplementation; Dietary supplement: Placebo supplementation

Detailed Description

There are conflicting evidences of the effects of dietary supplementation with polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) on athletic performance. The described effects of PUFAs on the fat metabolism may be modulated by the expression and activity of transcription factor genes, suppressing or expressing genes associated with the synthesis and oxidation of fats and in oxidative stress and inflammation.

The investigators' working hypothesis is based on the polyunsaturated fatty acids, given its pro-oxidative character and also by its action on transcription factors can modulate the antioxidant response and oxidative damage induced by physical activity.

In the field of professional sports and leisure use of food and / or antioxidants in the belief that these elements prevent muscle damage is very established. Most studies in athletes supplemented with antioxidant nutrients revealed no significant effects on physical performance, but it has shown that supplements protect against tissue damage induced by exercise. Recent studies have reported that over 35% of the Spanish people eat diets low or very low quality, which is clearly shown that over 10% of Spaniards have poor intakes (<2/3 IDR) riboflavin (men) , folate (women), vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin D and vitamin E.

The overall objective of the study is to establish situations improving athletic performance and study the oxidative balance by manipulation of feeding patterns and consumption of nutritional supplements and investigate the involved mechanisms. The aim of this study is to establish scientific basis for design functional foods improving athletic performance and health and avoiding the negative consequences of the oxidative damage induced by overexertion.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 15
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Spain
  • Balearic Islands
    • Palma de Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain, 07122
      • University of Balearic Islands

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 16 years to 35 years (Child, Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: Male

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Ages eligible for study: 16 to 35 years
• Genders eligible for study: Male
• Equilibrate diet
• Physical activity of 1-2 hours daily 5-7 days weekly.
• Body mass index (19-25 kg/m2)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Smokers

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Docosahexaenoic acid; 1 liter/day of one experimental beverage (containing 0.2% olive oil + 0.6% DHA-S Martek) provides 1.14 g DHA/daily	Dietary supplement: Docosahexaenoic acid diet supplementation; Nine soccer players (19 and 22 years old) took 1 liter/day of one experimental beverage (containing 0.2% olive oil + 0.6% DHA-S Martek). Follow-up 8 weeks. At week 8 an acute exercise season was programed. One blood sample was taken in resting conditions at beginning of the nutritional intervention (week 0, baseline). Another two blood samples were taken at the end of the nutritional intervention, in resting (week 8, pre-exercise) and post-exercise conditions (week 8, post-exercise). Biochemical measures, oxidative damage markers on lipids, proteins and DNA, antioxidant capabilities (enzyme activities and quantity of enzyme protein and gene expression) and inflammatory markers were measured in serum, plasma, erythrocytes, neutrophils and peripheral blood mononuclear cells.
Placebo Comparator: Olive oil; 1 liter/day of placebo beverage (containing 0.8% olive oil)	Dietary supplement: Placebo supplementation; Six professionals soccer players (19 and 22 years old) took 1 liter/day of placebo beverage (containing 0.8% olive oil). Follow-up 8 weeks. At week 8 an acute exercise season was programed. One blood sample was taken in resting conditions at beginning of the nutritional intervention (week 0, baseline). Another two blood samples were taken at the end of the nutritional intervention, in resting (week 8, pre-exercise) and post-exercise conditions (week 8, post-exercise). Biochemical measures, oxidative damage markers on lipids, proteins and DNA, antioxidant capabilities (enzyme activities and quantity of enzyme protein and gene expression) and inflammatory markers were measured in serum, plasma, erythrocytes, neutrophils and peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
DHA incorporation in erythrocyte cellular membranes	Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is a conditionally essential fatty acid. Primary outcome: DHA incorporation in the erythrocyte cellular membranes by gas chromatography of soccer players during a training season	Baseline, week 8

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
DHA on oxidative stress	Effects of DHA diet supplementation, the training season and acute exercise on oxidative and nitrosative damage markers and antioxidant enzyme activities, and protein levels in different blood fractions.	Baseline, week-8 (pre- and post-exercise)
DHA on inflammation	Effects of DHA diet supplementation, the training season and acute exercise on inflammation markers.	Baseline, week-8 (pre- and post-exercise)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of the Balearic Islands
• Collaborators: Instituto de Salud Carlos III

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Capo X, Martorell M, Sureda A, Llompart I, Tur JA, Pons A. Diet supplementation with DHA-enriched food in football players during training season enhances the mitochondrial antioxidant capabilities in blood mononuclear cells. Eur J Nutr. 2015 Feb;54(1):35-49. doi: 10.1007/s00394-014-0683-2. Epub 2014 Mar 19.
• Martorell M, Capo X, Sureda A, Tur JA, Pons A. Effects of docosahexaenoic acid diet supplementation, training, and acute exercise on oxidative balance in neutrophils. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2014 Apr;39(4):446-57. doi: 10.1139/apnm-2013-0331. Epub 2013 Nov 4.
• Capo X, Martorell M, Sureda A, Tur JA, Pons A. Effects of dietary Docosahexaenoic, training and acute exercise on lipid mediators. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2016 Apr 5;13:16. doi: 10.1186/s12970-016-0126-y. eCollection 2016.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: September 1, 2011
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 1, 2011

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 17, 2014
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 26, 2014
• First Posted (Estimate): June 27, 2014

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): June 27, 2014
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 26, 2014
• Last Verified: June 1, 2014

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: IB 994/08 PI