What is "DNA damage"? Like where my kids will have four eyes instead of three like the rest of us?

" Antioxidants seemed to enhance recovery in women but not in men. "

Another "advantage" of testosterone no doubt.

Do you have a link for this research?

Thanks.

tom

---

------------------------------------------------------------
Searching for the bliss of ultimate exertion.

Note that this is just one study. In most metanalysis antioxidants help in both genders.

I would contact the authors for more information...they may have the full manuscript available for viewing: mastaloa@onid.orst.edu

I was forwarded the thesis by a group of doctors who are looking at the potential damaging effects of endurance training on our hearts.

Healthy regards,

Kim Brown, MS, RD

Sports Nutritionist

---

Kim Mueller, MS, RD
Sports Nutritionist
http://www.kbnutrition.com

If you want I can email you a pdf

---

_______________________________________________

Can you please explain what "DNA damage" really means?

"Drug- or radiation-induced injuries in DNA that introduce deviations from its normal double-helical conformation. These changes include structural distortions which interfere with replication and transcription, as well as point mutations which disrupt base pairs and exert damaging effects on future generations through changes in DNA sequence. If the damage is minor, it can often be repaired (DNA REPAIR). If the damage is extensive, it can induce apoptosis. "

http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/ghr/glossary/dnadamage

---

_______________________________________________

Thanks for the definition. So how would DNA damage from endurance exercise be different from the definition of drug or radiation induced DNA damage or is it the same?

Well, I guess we'll know if there's a problem with prolonged endurance exercise if Dave Scott and all those original triathletes start dropping dead of heart attacks and such here in a few years ;-)

What about studies done on Tarahumara indians (the ultra-distance runners from Mexico)? And long-term research on them? Do they have mortality rates higher than what would be expected? And have they controlled for environmental factors such as air pollution and the like?

I know that the initial conclusion is that endurance exercise might be connected to DNA damage, but I'd need to read the whole study and the peer review before I go telling people that prolonged exercise can damage their DNA :-) Not that I'm saying anyone is doing that yet.

Tony

<<If the damage is minor, it can often be repaired (DNA REPAIR). If the damage is extensive, it can induce apoptosis. >>

I guess all that LSD I took in the late 60's is causing my apotosis?

sp

---

don't just do something..... sit there

Does anyone how the comet assay detects "DNA damage"? Can it differentiate between DNA damage in intact cells versus DNA fragments created secondary to cell death or damage?



It seems strange that the assay shows peak damage midrace and no damage at the end of the race then damage again one day later.

Assuming the exercise-induced DNA damage is due primarlity to free radicals, it could cause similar types of damage (base modifications, strand breaks) that radiation and some drugs do.

---

_______________________________________________

Never done this assay but I understand it's pretty common. I think it would be pretty easy to differentiate DNA damage in a mostly intact nucleus (ie the nucleus is the comet, damaged DNA is the tail) from smaller fragments from late apopotic/necrotic cells.


edit: the only increase in damage came midrace - there were no further increases after that, although in the anti-oxidant women the amount of DNA damage appeared to decrease below baseline after the race.

---

_______________________________________________

I'm a finance guy so this stuff is a bit over my head. The real question - are these IMs and similiar distance events causing damage we should be concerned about?

I don't think that this type of DNA damage should worry us too much. The body is bombarded with all types of potential damagers to DNA everyday (UV light, cigarette smoke, some foods etc.) and has a pretty good system for minimizing damage to and repairing DNA. I think a bigger concern would be folks not wearing sun screen. I'm pretty sure you're more likely to die of skin cancer than cancer caused by exercise.

The answer is yes and no. Yes, they do cause damage, but no you don't have to worry because your body DOES repair itself. But in the case of women, they would have to take antioxidants to match the rate of repair that men experience. And yes, the men's faster recovery is probably related to testosterone. *grumble*

---

__________________________________________________
A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is just putting on its shoes.
- Mark Twain

Thanks for the explanation in plain terms.

But testosterone can lead to baldness and irrational, aggressive thinking...

---

_______________________________________________

Humor a newbie - is that Mr. Tibbs? I'm still trying to figure him out (as I see just about everyone is).

---

__________________________________________________
A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is just putting on its shoes.
- Mark Twain

Yep...

---

_______________________________________________

Hey jhc, could you please send the PDF to tomgallag@hotmail.com. Thanks.

tom

---

------------------------------------------------------------
Searching for the bliss of ultimate exertion.