Impact of different running distances on muscle and lymphocyte DNA damage in amateur marathon runners

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of different marathon running distances (10 km, 21 km, and 42.195 km) on muscle and lymphocyte DNA damage in amateur marathon runners. [Subjects and Methods] Thirty male amateur runners were randomly assigned to 10 km, 21 km, and 42 km groups, with 10 subjects in each group. Blood samples were collected before and after the races and on the 3rd day of recovery to examine levels of muscle damage (creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase) and lymphocyte DNA damage (DNA in the tail, tail length, and tail moment). [Results] Serum creatine kinase, serum lactate dehydrogenase, and tail moment were significantly higher after the races compared with before the races in all groups. In addition, the 42 km group showed significantly higher levels of creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, and tail moment than the 10 km and 21 km groups after the races. [Conclusion] Strenuous endurance exercise can cause muscle and lymphocyte DNA damage, and the extent of such damage can increase as running distance increases.