Santovito, A.; Agostinovna Nigretti, A.; Sellitri, A.; Scarfò, M.; Nota, A. Regular Sport Activity Is Able to Reduce the Level of Genomic Damage. Biology2023, 12, 1110.
Santovito, A.; Agostinovna Nigretti, A.; Sellitri, A.; Scarfò, M.; Nota, A. Regular Sport Activity Is Able to Reduce the Level of Genomic Damage. Biology 2023, 12, 1110.
Santovito, A.; Agostinovna Nigretti, A.; Sellitri, A.; Scarfò, M.; Nota, A. Regular Sport Activity Is Able to Reduce the Level of Genomic Damage. Biology2023, 12, 1110.
Santovito, A.; Agostinovna Nigretti, A.; Sellitri, A.; Scarfò, M.; Nota, A. Regular Sport Activity Is Able to Reduce the Level of Genomic Damage. Biology 2023, 12, 1110.
Abstract
Regular physical activity is considered one of the most valid tools able to reduce the risk of on-set of many diseases in humans. However, it is known that intense physical activity is able to induce high levels of genomic damage, while a moderate exercise was found to induce a favora-ble adaptive response by the organism. We evaluated, in a sample of amateur athletes practicing different disciplines, the level of genomic damage by means of the buccal micronuclei assay, comparing obtained data with those of subjects who practiced sport occasionally or that do not practiced any sport. The aim was to evaluate whether physical activity affects background levels of genomic damage and whether the different sports disciplines, as well as some genes poly-morphisms, differentially affect these levels. A total of 206 subjects, 125 athletes and 81 controls, were recruited. Athletes showed significantly lower values of micronuclei, nuclear buds and bi-nucleated cells with respect to controls. Sprinters and martial arts athletes showed significantly higher frequencies of micronuclei than other categories of athletes. Finally, neither sex nor gene polymorphisms seem to influence the levels of genomic damage, confirming that the observed genomic damage is probably due to the type of the sport activity.
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