Multiple Cryotherapy Attenuates Oxi-Inflammatory Response Following Skeletal Muscle Injury

Abstract

The oxi-inflammatory response is part of the natural process mobilizing leukocytes and satellite cells that contribute to clearance and regeneration of damaged muscle tissue. In sports medicine, a number of post-injury recovery strategies, such as whole-body cryotherapy (WBC), are used to improve skeletal muscle regeneration often without scientific evidence of their benefits. The study was designed to assess the impact of WBC on circulating mediators of skeletal muscle regeneration. Twenty elite athletes were randomized to WBC group (3-min exposure to −120 °C, twice a day for 7 days) and control group. Blood samples were collected before the first WBC session and 1 day after the last cryotherapy exposure. WBC did not affect the indirect markers of muscle damage but significantly reduced the generation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (H2O2 and NO) as well as the concentrations of serum interleukin 1β (IL-1β) and C-reactive protein (CRP). The changes in circulating growth factors, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGFBB), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), were also reduced by WBC exposure. The study demonstrated that WBC attenuates the cascade of injury–repair–regeneration of skeletal muscles whereby it may delay skeletal muscle regeneration.

Occupational Health Aspects with Special Focus on Physiological Differences between Office and Metalworkers

“…Peroxide levels distinctly worse compared to another group of heavy workers [10] independent of adequate antioxidant sustenance. A reason for this might be the ambient temperature [20] and environmental conditions, such as smoke or metal residues that are harmful to health [1,4]. This is consistent with a recent publication that found increased oxidative stress in workers exposed to different types of nanomaterials compared to office workers [21,22].…”

Lactoferrin Deficiency Impairs Proliferation of Satellite Cells via Downregulating the ERK1/2 Signaling Pathway

“…Muscle injury repair includes three sequential and programmed processes: (1) the inflammatory response; (2) SC activation, proliferation, differentiation, and fusion; and (3) muscle fiber maturation and remodeling of new muscle fibers [35][36][37]. Pathological analysis showed that Ltf knockout delayed the repair of damaged skeletal muscle, manifested as a smaller area of new muscle fibers and more collagen fiber formation compared to WT control mice.…”

The Use of Post-Exercise Cooling as a Recovery Strategy: Unraveling the Controversies

“…Furthermore, in a group of volleyball players who underwent a 2-week training program, daily WBC led to an improvement in the growth factor profile [brainderived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1)] that may sustain muscle regeneration and limit the deterioration of physical performances (Jaworska et al, 2018). However, in elite athletes subjected to randomized WBC (3 min, −120 • C, two times a day for 7 days) or no treatment, despite the significant reduction of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (H 2 O 2 and NO) and the concentrations of the pro-inflammatory mediators IL-1β and CRP, cryostimulation caused the decrease in IGF-1, BDNF, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGFBB), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF; Zembron-Lacny et al, 2020). These findings further suggest that WBC may act as an exercise-mimetic treatment, possibly associated to the coldinduced muscle contraction, stimulating the expression of those myokines whose release are typical following an acute bout of physical activity.…”