Background
This study examined associations between scores of depression (DEPs), thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase activity (CAT) in master athletes and untrained controls.
Conclusions
In conclusion, the training model of master sprinters may be an effective strategy for increasing CAT and reducing DEPs.
Methods
Participants were master sprinters (MS, n = 24; 50.31 ± 6.34 year), endurance runners (ER, n = 11; 51.35 ± 9.12 year), untrained middle-aged (CO, n = 13; 47.21 ± 8.61 year), and young untrained (YU, n = 15; 23.70 ± 4.02 year). CAT, SOD, and TBARS were measured in plasma using commercial kits. DEPs were measured by the Beck Depression Inventory-II. An ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis, Pearson's, and Spearman's correlations were applied, with a significance level of p ≤ 0.05.
Results
The CATs of MS and YU [760.4 U·μL 1 ± 170.1 U·μL 1 and 729.9 U·μL 1 ± 186.9 U·μL 1] were higher than CO and ER. The SOD levels in the YU and ER [84.20 U·mL-1 ± 8.52 U·mL-1 and 78.24 U·mL-1 ± 6.59 U·mL-1 (p < 0.0001)] were higher than CO and MS. The TBARS in CO [11.97 nmol·L-1 ± 2.35 nmol·L-1 (p < 0.0001)] was higher than in YU, MS and ER. MS had lower DEPs compared to the YU [3.60 ± 3.66 vs. 12.27 ± 9.27 (p = 0.0002)]. A negative correlation was found between CAT and DEPs for master athletes [r = -0.3921 (p = 0.0240)] and a weak correlation [r = -0.3694 (p = 0.0344)] was found between DEPs and the CAT/TBARS ratio. Conclusions: In