Comparison of Antioxidant Characteristics and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Zourkhaneh (Traditional Wrestling) Sportsmen and Nonsportsmen

It is believed that prolonged and intensive exercise training may induce tissue damages due to production of free radicals and other reactive oxygen radicals. Antioxidant capacity status in Zourkhaneh (traditional wrestling) sportsmen has not been studied to date; therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare of antioxidant characteristics and cardiovascular risk factors of Zourkhaneh sportsmen and non-sportsmen. In the study, 17 male Zourkhaneh sportsmen who were active in the last 6 months for at least 3 sessions per week and each session of at least 45 minutes, and 20 male sedentary individuals who did not have any regular physical activity during the same time period participated in the study. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC), supreoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and lipid status was determined through standardized and valid methods in the biochemistry laboratory of Birjand university of medical sciences. T-tests were used to compare groups and statistical significance was also considered where P<0.05. The TAC and anaerobic power of the legs of Zourkhaneh sportsmen was significantly higher than non-sportsmen (P<0.05). In addition, it was observed that there was no significant difference between the two groups regarding their lipid profile, body mass index (BMI) and body fat percent (P>0.05). Zourkhaneh special trainings result in beneficial antioxidant status and better anaerobic power as compared to non-sportsmen and these factors make them more resistant against cardiovascular diseases.