Oxidative Stress and Motion Sickness during Offshore Sailing

Abstract

Purpose: Offshore Ocean Sailing is a highly demanding activity in which subjects are exposed to psychophysical stressors for a long time. To better define the physiological adaptations, we investigated the stress response of subjects exposed to 3-days long ocean navigation with disruption of circadian rhythms.Methods: 6 male subjects were involved in the study and provided urine and saliva samples before setting sail, during a single day of inshore sailing, during 3-days long ocean navigation, and at the arrival, to measure oxidative stress, cortisol, nitric oxide metabolites (NOx) and metabolic response. Motion Sickness questionnaires were also administered.Results: The crew suffered a mean weight loss of 1.58 Kg. After the long navigation, a significant increase in ROS production and decreased antioxidant capacity and uric acid levels were observed. Lipid peroxidation, NOx, ketones, creatinine, and neopterin levels were also increased. A significant increase in cortisol levels was recorded, but no correlation was found with motion sickness questionnaires that were instead correlated with the rise of NOx.Conclusions: physical and psychological stress response derived from offshore sailing resulted in increased oxidative stress, nitric oxide metabolites, and cortisol levels, unbalanced redox status, transient renal function impairment, and ketosis. A direct correlation between motion sickness symptoms evaluated through questionnaires and NOx levels was also found.

Effects of an Offshore Sailing Competition on Anthropometry, Muscular Performance, Subjective Wellness, and Salivary Cortisol in Professional Sailors

“…Past studies have investigated the impacts of sailing bouts on neuromuscular functions, energy demands and stress hormones. These studies have reported increases in neuromuscular fatigue 4 , muscular damage 8 , cognitive impairment 9 , motion sickness 10 and elevated cortisol levels after sailing bouts 11 . Although the current literature suggests that significant fatigue is induced by offshore sailing, little evidence is available in a crewed context.…”