Free Radicals and Antioxidant Enzymes in Aged Adults after Regular Elastic Band Exercising

Purpose: Long-term regular exercise has positive health promotion outcomes. On the contrary, brief intense exercise induces the generation of reactive oxygen species and free radicals; thereby, increasing oxidative stress and causing protein and lipid peroxidation. To test the effects of the regular Senior Elastic Band (SEB) exercises on the generation of free radicals and antioxidant enzyme activities in aged adults.

Methods: A prospective experimental design was used. Twenty-five aged adults were recruited from a community care center, southern Taiwan, and were randomly assigned to either an experimental or control group. Twenty-two participants completed the study: experimental group (n = 10) and control group (n = 12). The experimental group performed six-month SEB exercises while the control group kept a non-exercise daily routine. Both groups received blood tests, thiobarbituric acid-reacting substances (TBARS) and the glutathione peroxidase (GPx), 30 minutes before the study began and one hour after the final intervention treatment.

Results: At the end of the six-month SEB exercises, no significant difference in TBARS and GPx values between the experimental and control groups (all p > .05). No significant difference existed in both TBARS and GPx values before and after the six-month SEB exercises either (all p > .05).

Conclusion: Regular SEB exercises did not increase the generation of free radicals and antioxidant enzyme activities. The SEB exercise routine could be promoted among aged adults in the community as an exercise option for mitigating aging and increasing disease control.