Physical exercise: An inducer of positive oxidative stress in skeletal muscle aging

Abstract

Oxidative stress is the core of most pathological situations, and its attribution toward disease conversion is not yet well established. The adaptive capacity of a cell can overcome ROS-induced pathology. However, when a cell fails to extend its maximum adaptive capacity against oxidative stress, it could lead a cell to misbehave or defunct from its normal functions. Any type of physical activity can increase the cells' maximum adaptive capacity, but aging can limit this. However, whether aging is the initiating point of reducing cells' adaptive capacity against oxidative stress or oxidative stress can induce the aging process is a mystery, and it could be the key to solving several uncured diseases. Paradoxically, minimum ROS is needed for cellular homeostasis. Nevertheless, finding factors that can limit or nullify the production of ROS for cellular homeostasis is a million-dollar question. Regular physical exercise is considered to be one of the factors that can limit the production of ROS and increase the ROS-induced benefits in the cells through inducing minimum oxidative stress and increasing maximum adapting capacity against oxidative stress-induced damages. The type and intensity of exercise that can produce such positive effects in the cells remain unclear. Therefore, this review discusses how physical exercise can help to produce minimal positive oxidative stress in preventing skeletal muscle aging.

Keywords: Antioxidants; Muscle aging; Oxidative stress; Physical exercise; ROS.