The role of anti-oxidants in the prevention of post-race upper respiratory tract infection

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dc.contributor.advisorWeight, Lindsayen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorMoolla, Mahomed Ebrahimen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2017-12-12T10:55:57Z
dc.date.available2017-12-12T10:55:57Z
dc.date.issued1997en_ZA
dc.description.abstractSeveral epidemiological reports suggest that athletes engaging in marathon-type running events are at increased risk of symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections (URTI). A possible explanation for this increased susceptibility is that during prolonged, strenuous exercise, production of immunosuppressive oxygen free radicals is increased. The purpose of this study therefore was to examine the effect of anti-oxidant vitamin supplementation on the incidence and severity of post-race symptoms of URTI's among athletes competing in a 90-kilometer ultramarathon footrace. A double blind, randomised, placebo controlled study design was employed. Eighty-five subjects were divided into three experimental and three control groups. Each athlete selected a non-running partner with whom they were paired. This non-running control was of a similar age and was a member of the same household or otherwise closely associated with the runner. The experimental and control groups were divided into those ingesting 250 mg/day of ascorbic acid (n = 13 runners, 11 non-running controls), or 4.5 mg/day of beta-carotene (n = 12 runners, 11 non-running controls) or placebo (n = 19 runners and 19 nonrunning controls). All groups commenced supplementation six weeks before the ultramarathon and continued for two weeks after the race. The runners and non-running controls experienced the same incidence of symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections during the study period (50% and 53% respectively) but significantly more runners than non-running controls experienced severe symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections of infective origin (45% and 18% respectively, p < 0.01). Of the runners, 30. 8% on supplemental ascorbic acid, 41. 7% on beta-carotene and 68% on placebo developed symptoms of URTI's. The comparative figures for non-running controls were 45.5%, 45.5% and 63% respectively. All of the non-running controls (100%) and 80% of the athletes who developed severe symptoms of URTIs were on placebo medication. Al though post-race symptoms of URTI 's are common in distance runners, prolonged, strenuous exercise itself is only one of a number of risk factors for symptoms of URTI. However, ingestion of supplemental anti-oxidant in the form of ascorbic acid or beta-carotene for an eight-week period before and after an endurance running event significantly decreases the severity of athletes' symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationMoolla, M. E. (1997). <i>The role of anti-oxidants in the prevention of post-race upper respiratory tract infection</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Health Sciences ,MRC/UCT RU for Exercise and Sport Medicine. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/26558en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationMoolla, Mahomed Ebrahim. <i>"The role of anti-oxidants in the prevention of post-race upper respiratory tract infection."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Health Sciences ,MRC/UCT RU for Exercise and Sport Medicine, 1997. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/26558en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationMoolla, M. 1997. The role of anti-oxidants in the prevention of post-race upper respiratory tract infection. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Moolla, Mahomed Ebrahim AB - Several epidemiological reports suggest that athletes engaging in marathon-type running events are at increased risk of symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections (URTI). A possible explanation for this increased susceptibility is that during prolonged, strenuous exercise, production of immunosuppressive oxygen free radicals is increased. The purpose of this study therefore was to examine the effect of anti-oxidant vitamin supplementation on the incidence and severity of post-race symptoms of URTI's among athletes competing in a 90-kilometer ultramarathon footrace. A double blind, randomised, placebo controlled study design was employed. Eighty-five subjects were divided into three experimental and three control groups. Each athlete selected a non-running partner with whom they were paired. This non-running control was of a similar age and was a member of the same household or otherwise closely associated with the runner. The experimental and control groups were divided into those ingesting 250 mg/day of ascorbic acid (n = 13 runners, 11 non-running controls), or 4.5 mg/day of beta-carotene (n = 12 runners, 11 non-running controls) or placebo (n = 19 runners and 19 nonrunning controls). All groups commenced supplementation six weeks before the ultramarathon and continued for two weeks after the race. The runners and non-running controls experienced the same incidence of symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections during the study period (50% and 53% respectively) but significantly more runners than non-running controls experienced severe symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections of infective origin (45% and 18% respectively, p < 0.01). Of the runners, 30. 8% on supplemental ascorbic acid, 41. 7% on beta-carotene and 68% on placebo developed symptoms of URTI's. The comparative figures for non-running controls were 45.5%, 45.5% and 63% respectively. All of the non-running controls (100%) and 80% of the athletes who developed severe symptoms of URTIs were on placebo medication. Al though post-race symptoms of URTI 's are common in distance runners, prolonged, strenuous exercise itself is only one of a number of risk factors for symptoms of URTI. However, ingestion of supplemental anti-oxidant in the form of ascorbic acid or beta-carotene for an eight-week period before and after an endurance running event significantly decreases the severity of athletes' symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections. DA - 1997 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 1997 T1 - The role of anti-oxidants in the prevention of post-race upper respiratory tract infection TI - The role of anti-oxidants in the prevention of post-race upper respiratory tract infection UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/26558 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/26558
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationMoolla ME. The role of anti-oxidants in the prevention of post-race upper respiratory tract infection. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Health Sciences ,MRC/UCT RU for Exercise and Sport Medicine, 1997 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/26558en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentMRC/UCT RU for Exercise and Sport Medicineen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Health Sciencesen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subject.otherSports Medicineen_ZA
dc.titleThe role of anti-oxidants in the prevention of post-race upper respiratory tract infectionen_ZA
dc.typeMaster Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationnameMPhilen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
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