Supply of antioxidants vs. recruit firefighters’ cellular immune status: A randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled parallel-group trial

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2022

Authors

José Augusto Rodrigues Santos (Author) FADEUP; Tiago Azenha Rama (Author) FMUP; Domingos José Lopes da Silva (Author) Other; Ricardo J. Fernandes (Author) FADEUP; Rodrigo Zacca (Author) FADEUP

Journal

Title: Life

Vol. 12 No. 6

Pages: 813/1-813/15

ISSN: 0024-3019

Publisher: MDPI

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 0 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Social sciences

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00W-KQZ

DOI: 10.3390/life12060813

Abstract (EN): Background: Physical exercise can affect the immune system. We studied the effect of antioxidants on hematological and immune biomarkers after heavy training. Methods: 24 well-trained and well-fed male firefighters were randomly divided into supplemented and placebo groups, and tested for immunology-related variables using venous blood samples in the fasting state, pre- (M1) and post- (M2) five weeks of daily micronutrient supplementation (15 mg of beta-carotene, 200 mg of vitamin C, 136 mg of vitamin E, 200 mu g of selenium, 15 mg of zinc, 100 mg of magnesium). Total leukocytes and a differential count for five populations were determined using standard procedures (MAXM-Beckman Coulter Diagnostics; Brea, CA, USA). Lymphocyte subsets were determined through immunophenotyping. Results: Although all values were within the normal range for healthy adults and athletes in the supplemented group (SG), mean CD3(+)CD8(+), CD8(+) and CD16(+)CD56(+) decreased (p < 0.05; small to moderate effects), while mean CD4(+), CD19(+) and CD4(+)/CD8(+) increased (p < 0.05; small effects) after five-weeks. Regarding the placebo group (PG), higher total leukocyte count (p < 0.05; trivial effect) and natural killer cells percentage (CD16(+)CD56(+); p < 0.05; moderate effect) were observed when comparing M1 and M2. Conclusions: Antioxidants supplementation did not alter well-fed male firefighters recruit firefighters' immune cell response during the five-week physical training program.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 15