Abstract
We studied the effects of daily physical activity on changes in the serum levels of hypoxanthine after exercise in elderly subjects. Seventeen healthy subjects (7 males and 10 females) with the average age of 74±5 years, height of 151.7±9.0 cm, weight of 55.8±8.5 kg participated in the study. They were divided into three groups according to their levels of daily physical activity assessed by questionnaire; active, relatively active and inactive groups. They walked for 5 min at the intensity of 36.4±5.8% of the maximum heart rate, and blood sample was collected before and at 10 min after exercise. The serum hypoxanthine level was measured by Agatuma's method with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).
The serum level of hypoxanthine increased after exercise in the inactive group and decreased in the active group, and there was a statistically significant difference. Decrease in serum level of hypoxanthine in the active group by low-intensity exercise may be due to increased activity of pathway salvaging hypoxanthine and efficient ATP supply in muscle. This result suggests that physically active life contributes to the suppression of active oxygen damage resulting from exercise.
