The effect of probiotic supplementation combined with aerobic exercise on the antioxidant capacity of college students

Abstract

Introduction: This study examined the effects of probiotic supplementation alone or combined with aerobic exercise on antioxidant capacity and oxidative stress after high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE) in college students.

Methods: Thirty male college students were divided into three groups: control (C), probiotic (P), and combined probiotic and exercise (PE). The 6-week intervention involved moderate-intensity cycling three times a week. All participants underwent a single session of HIIE protocol. The tests for maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂max), elimination rate of lactic acid (ER), blood oxidative stress markers, and blood rheology were performed.

Results: A decrease in superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was observed at baseline in the P and PE groups (P < 0.01), while significantly increased glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity and reduced catalase activity were found in the PE group (P < 0.05). In the P and PE groups, SOD activity (P < 0.01) and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) level (P < 0.01) were significantly elevated after HIIE. The T-AOC level significantly increased from 0.47 ± 0.03 umol Trolox/mL to 0.78 ± 0.07 umol Trolox/mL in the P group and from 0.56 ± 0.04 umol Trolox/mL to 0.82 ± 0.05 umol Trolox/mL in the PE group. The 8-OHdG level increased significantly in both the C and P groups (P < 0.05), but remained unchanged in the PE group after the intervention. High shear rate whole blood viscosity was significantly decreased in the P and PE groups (P < 0.05). Additionally, a notable decline in plasma viscosity was observed in the PE group. After the intervention, medium and high shear rate whole blood viscosity levels (P < 0.05) were significantly lower in the PE group than in the C group, and plasma viscosity was dropped by 28.64% (P < 0.05). Following the intervention, a significant elevation in VO₂max was only observed in the PE group from 38.14 ± 3.11 to 44.5 ± 2.94 mL/kg/min (P < 0.05), with a subsequent increase in ER detected after HIIE (P < 0.05).

Discussion: These findings indicate that combining probiotics with aerobic exercise enhances antioxidant and aerobic capacity more effectively than probiotics alone.

Keywords: aerobic exercise; antioxidant capacity; high-intensity interval training; oxidative stress; probiotics.

FIGURE 1

Experimental design.

FIGURE 2

The effect of probiotics supplementation alone or in combination with aerobic exercise on 8-OHDG level at baseline in healthy college students. Results are reported as the mean ± SEM. C, control group (n = 10); P: probiotic group (n = 10); PE: probiotic and aerobic exercise group (n = 10) (A) 8-OHDG (B) 8-OHDG change rate. *: P < 0.05; **: P < 0.01.

FIGURE 3

The effect of probiotics supplementation alone or in combination with aerobic exercise on 8-OHDG level immediately after high-intensity interval exercise in healthy college students. Results are reported as the mean ± SEM. C, control group (n = 10); P: probiotic group (n = 10); PE: probiotic and aerobic exercise group (n = 10) (A) 8-OHDG (B) 8-OHDG change rate. *: P < 0.05; **:P < 0.01.

FIGURE 4

The impact of probiotics supplementation alone or in combination with aerobic exercise on antioxidant capacity at baseline in healthy college students. Results are reported as the mean ± SEM. C, control group (n = 10); P: probiotic group (n = 10); PE: probiotic and aerobic exercise group (n = 10). (A) GSH-Px. (B) SOD. (C) CAT. (D) T-AOC. *: P < 0.05; **: P < 0.01.

FIGURE 5

The impact of probiotics supplementation alone or in combination with exercise on the rate of change of antioxidant capacity at baseline in healthy college students. Results are reported as the mean ± SEM. C, control group (n = 10); P: probiotic group (n = 10); PE: probiotic and aerobic exercise group (n = 10). (A) GSH-Px change rate. (B) SOD change rate (C) CAT change rate. (D) T-AOC change rate. *:P < 0.05; **: P < 0.01.

FIGURE 6

The impact of probiotics supplementation alone or in combination with exercise on the anti-oxidant capacity immediately after high-intensity interval exercise in healthy college students. Results are reported as the mean ± SEM. C, control group (n = 10); P: probiotic group (n = 10); PE: probiotic and aerobic exercise group (n = 10). (A) GSH-Px. (B) SOD. (C) CAT. (D) T-AOC. *:P < 0.05; **: P < 0.01.

FIGURE 7

The impact of probiotics supplementation alone or in combination with aerobic exercise on the rate of change of antioxidant capacity immediately after high-intensity interval exercise of college students. Results are reported as the mean ± SEM. C, control group (n = 10); P: probiotic group (n = 10); PE: probiotic and exercise group (n = 10). (A) GSH-Px change rate. (B) SOD change rate. (C) CAT change rate. (D) T-AOC change rate. *: P < 0.05; **: P < 0.01.

FIGURE 8

The impact of probiotics supplementation alone or in combination with aerobic exercise on hemorheological parameters at baseline in healthy college students. Results are reported as the mean ± SEM. C, control group (n = 10); P: probiotic group (n = 10); PE: probiotic and aerobic exercise group (n = 10) (A) Whole Blood Viscosity: Low Shear. (B) Whole Blood Viscosity: Medium Shear. (C) Whole Blood Viscosity: High Shear. (D) Hematocrit. (E) Plasma Viscosity. *:P < 0.05; **: P < 0.01.

FIGURE 9

The Influence of Probiotics supplementation alone or in combination with aerobic exercise on the variation rate of hemorheological parameters in healthy university students at baseline. Results are reported as the mean ± SEM. C, control group (n = 10); P: probiotic group (n = 10); PE: probiotic and aerobic exercise group (n = 10). (A) Whole Blood Viscosity: Low-Shear Rate Variation. (B) Whole blood viscosity: medium shear Rate Variation. (C) Whole Blood Viscosity: High-Shear Rate Variation. (D) Hematocrit Variation Rate. (E) Plasma Viscosity Variation Rate. *:P < 0.05; **: P < 0.01.

FIGURE 10

The influence of probiotics supplementation alone or in combination with aerobic exercise on the aerobic capacity of college students. Results are reported as the mean ± SEM. C, control group (n = 10); P: probiotic group (n = 10); PE: probiotic and aerobic exercise group (n = 10). (A) VO₂max. (B) HRmax. (C) ER. *: P < 0.05; **: P < 0.01.

FIGURE 11

The influence of probiotics supplementation alone or in combination with aerobic exercise on the change rate of aerobic capacity in healthy university students. Results are reported as the mean ± SEM. C, control group (n = 10); P: probiotic group (n = 10); PE: probiotic and aerobic exercise group (n = 10). (A) VO₂max variation rate. (B) HRmax change rate. (C) ER Variation Rate. *:P < 0.05; **: P < 0.01.