A Narrative Review of Exercise-Induced Oxidative Stress: Oxidative DNA Damage Underlined

Abstract

This is a narrative review principally aimed to highlight the factors related to exercise that induce oxidative DNA damage. Contracting skeletal muscles during exercise involve increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) from different cellular sources. Exercise-induced oxidative stress causes damage to cellular macromolecules proteins, lipids, and DNA. To date, oxidative DNA damage has been minimally investigated. The exercise-induced oxidative DNA damage topic was introduced first by discussing ROS chemistry, sources, and cellular damaging effects. It appears that exercise modality, intensity, duration, and the conditions under which the exercise was performed play major roles in determining the level of oxidative DNA damage during exercise. This review also discusses the possible mechanisms by which regular exercise protects against oxidative DNA damage.