In addition, nutritional factors such as reduced folic acid intake have been implicated [3, 13]. Several authors [4, 13, 22, 23] have BIIB057 established a direct relationship between regular physical exercise (PA) and a reduction in CVD risk, although the data regarding the effect of PA on plasma Hcy concentrations remain controversial because of methodological differences among different studies. Murakami et al. [13] noted that these
discrepancies may reflect differences in the methods used to evaluate PA, the lack quantitative information on training intensity or BMS202 chemical structure training time, and in some cases the lack of adjustment for folate intake status [4]. However, Venta et al. [14] suggested three possible mechanisms that may explain the increase in Hcy with increasing exercise intensity: increased free radical production [15], increases in methylated forms such as creatine and acetylcholine, and increases in the amino acid pool as a result of protein catabolism. The need for research in athletes who take part in different sports has been suggested to be important in order to account for the high prevalence of hyperchromocysteinemia [15]. To date, however, there have been no studies
that evaluated plasma Hcy levels while taking into account nutrient intakes, training intensity and training time, and rate of perceived exertion (RPE). Moreover, the relationship between PA and Hcy has not been studied in team sports such as handball, in which intermittent activity alternates with periods (-)-p-Bromotetramisole Oxalate of intense aerobic activity [24]. In the present study Selleckchem AZD3965 our aims were to evaluate macronutrient and folic acid nutritional status in high-performance athletes (handball players), and to determine the effect
on these parameters of training and a nutritional intervention based on dietary supplementation with folic acid. We analyzed the data in the light of training load and plasma Hcy concentrations. Methods Participants The study was done during the February to June 2010 sports season and all participants were members of the handball team (n = 14) sponsored by the Club Deportivo Puente Genil de Balonmano (Granada, Spain), in the Honor B Division of the Spanish professional handball league. The sample comprised 14 men (mean age 22.9 ± 2.7 years) who trained for a mean of 4 days per week in addition to competing in matches on weekends. Participation in the study was voluntary. None of the participants had evidence of CVD, diabetes or hypertension. All participants provided their informed consent in writing, and were given detailed information at the beginning and end of the study regarding the aims and procedures involved. The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the University of Granada.