Effects of Taurine Supplementation during Endurance Training on Antioxidant Activity in Males

Background and objectives: Endurance exercise causes fatigue due to mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of taurine supplementation on lipids peroxidation and antioxidant activity during endurance activities. Methods: Twenty-four male volunteers aged 27 ± 1.8 years and weighting 74.9 ± 5.9 kg were randomly divided into three groups: taurine supplementation (n=8), placebo (n=8), and control (n=8). The subjects completed a 28-day endurance training protocol. Biochemical parameters such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activities, as well as malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations (8 hours before the first session and 8 hours after the last session) and maximum rate of oxygen consumption, were measured to evaluate the antioxidant, lipid peroxidation, and VO2 max status respectively. Finally, data were analyzed by SPSS software at a significance level of <0.05. Results: Taurine supplementation significantly increased SOD (p=0.001) and GPX (p=0.001) but significantly decreased MDA (p=0.001). However, it had no significant effect on the VO2 max. Conclusion: The results of the present study indicate that taurine has antioxidant effects against endurance exercise-induced oxidant stress and lipid peroxidation.