Oxidative Stress and Antioxidant Enzyme Activities in Elite Female Turkish Cross-Country Skiers

Plain-language summary

This study is designed to investigate oxidative stress and antioxidant defense biomarkers in elite female cross-country skiers compared with sedentary women. Oxidative stress plays a central role in exercise adaptation, and the balance between reactive oxygen species production and antioxidant capacity can influence performance and recovery. Despite growing interest in redox biology, evidence from elite female endurance athletes is limited. This cross-sectional observational study enrolled 17 elite female cross-country skiers, who were members of the Turkish national junior and senior teams, and 17 age- and BMI-matched sedentary women. All participants reported to the laboratory between 07:00 and 09:00 a.m. after an overnight fast. Anthropometric characteristics, including height, weight, and BMI, were measured under standardized conditions. Venous blood samples were collected from the antecubital vein using aseptic technique. Serum was separated, stored at -80 °C, and analyzed for key redox biomarkers. Catalase (CAT) activity was measured spectrophotometrically using the method of Aebi, reduced glutathione (GSH) concentration was determined using Ellman's reagent, and malondialdehyde (MDA), a marker of lipid peroxidation, was assessed using the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) assay. All analyses were performed in triplicate in a certified clinical biochemistry laboratory. The primary objective of this study is to characterize and compare systemic antioxidant capacity and oxidative stress levels between trained athletes and sedentary controls. The data generated will provide insight into how chronic endurance training in cold outdoor environments affects enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant systems in young women.

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