Changes in Markers of Oxidative Stress and α-Amylase in Saliva of Children Associated with a Tennis Competition

Abstract

The purpose of this paper was to analyze the changes caused by a one-day tennis tournament in biomarkers of oxidative stress and α-amylase in saliva in children. The sample was 20 male active children with the following characteristics: (a) age of players = 9.46 ± 0.66 years; (b) weight = 34.8 ± 6.5 kg; (c) height = 136.0 ± 7.9 cm; (d) mean weekly training tennis = 2.9 ± 1.0 h. The tennis competition ran for one day, with four matches for each player. Data were taken from the average duration per match and the rating of perceived exertion (RPE). Four biomarkers of antioxidant status: uric acid (AU), Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), ferric reducing ability of saliva (FRAS, cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) and salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) as a biomarker of psychological stress were measured in saliva. The time points were baseline (at home before the tournament), pre-competition (immediately before the first match) and post-match (after each match) measurements. The four biomarkers of antioxidant status showed a similar dynamic with lower values at baseline and a progressive increase during the four matches. Overall one-day tennis competition in children showed a tendency to increase antioxidant biomarkers in saliva. In addition, there was an increase in pre-competition sAA possibly associated with psychological stress. Further studies about the possible physiological implications of these findings should be performed in the future.

Total Antioxidant Capacity of Saliva and Its Correlation with pH Levels among Dental Students under Different Stressful Conditions

“…To our current understanding, there is a limited body of literature addressing alterations in the salivary oxidative status in response to purely short-term acute psychological stress. In a prior study, it was observed that the salivary antioxidant levels in children, assessed using a variety of parameters, exhibited an increase prior to a tennis competition, and this increase was linked to psychological stress [44].…”

“…The score range for both the STAI-T subscale and the STAI-S subscale falls between 20 (minimum) and 80 (maximum). STAI scores are commonly categorized as follows: "low or no anxiety" (20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30)(31)(32)(33)(34)(35)(36)(37), "moderate anxiety" (38)(39)(40)(41)(42)(43)(44), and "high anxiety" (45-80) [26,27].…”

An Impact of Psychological Stress on the Interplay between Salivary Oxidative Stress and the Classic Psychological Stress‐Related Parameters

“…To the best of our knowledge, no publications are dealing with the changes in salivary oxidative status and “pure” and short-term acutely applied psychological stress. In a previous study, the salivary antioxidant status of children, estimated through a panel of different parameters, was found to be increased prior to a tennis completion, which was associated with psychological stress [ 31 ]. It was shown that an exam, as a stimulus for psychological stress, causes an increase in salivary antioxidant status, while diminishes the oxidant counterpart [ 11 ].…”

Changes in biomarkers of redox status in serum and saliva of dogs with hypothyroidism

“…In humans, serum has been traditionally used to evaluate changes in the oxidative status of patients with different thyroidal diseases [14][15][16][17]. However, saliva is an easy-to-obtain, stress-free sample that has been used for the study of different biomarkers in other diseases and species [18][19][20][21][22]. To the author's knowledge, the oxidative status has not been evaluated in serum and saliva of dogs with hypothyroidism previously.…”