A Comparison of the Effect of Different Levels of Air Pollution on Response of Salivary Malondialdehyde and Total Antioxidant Capacity to a Semi-Soccer Protocol in Adolescent Female Soccer Players

The aim of present study was to compare the effect of different levels of air pollution on the response of malondialdehyde (MDA) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of saliva to a quasi-soccer protocol in adolescent female soccer players. In this semi-experimental study, 12 female soccer players were selected purposively. The subjects performed the Bangsbo quasi-soccer protocol 3 times in clean, healthy and unhealthy air qualities; saliva samples were collected before and after each test and were used to measure MDA and TAC. The results showed that in all three qualities (clean, healthy and unhealthy), salivary MDA values increased significantly due to the implementation of quasi-soccer protocol (P<0.05), but no significant differences in MDA changes was not observed among different qualities due to the implementation of quasi-soccer protocol (P = 0.733). Also, in clean and healthy air conditions, saliva TAC increased significantly due to the implementation of Bangsbo protocol (P<0.05), but in unhealthy air quality, this increase was not significant (P>0.05). Also, in terms of TAC changes in different air qualities, only a significant difference was observed between clean and unhealthy air qualities in TAC increase (P = 0.026). The findings of the present study supports general recommendations to limit exercises and competitions in unhealthy air quality and to relocate the time or place of activities and competitions when the air quality is unhealthy.