Effect of 8-week high-intensity intermittent running exercise and weight training on muscle and DNA damage in male and female ski major college students

This study assessed changes in blood muscle damage indicators and DNA damage indicators in lymph and urine after 8 weeks of high-intensity intermittent running and weight training in male and female college students majoring in skiing. This study aimed to find an effective training method by investigating differences in the effectiveness between men and women. A total of 20 male and female ski major college students conducted short-term high-intensity intermittent running and weight training in the morning and afternoon, respectively, 3 days a week for 8 weeks for 24 times in total. After 8 weeks of high-intensity intermittent running and weight training, changes in DNA damage indicators in the lymph and urine and muscle damage indicators in the blood were analyzed. The creatine kinase level significantly differed at rest pre-graded exercise testing (GXT) and 60 min of recovery post-GXT after training from that before training between the male and female groups. Although lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels decreased in both groups over time, no significant differences in LDH were found between the two groups. Second, DNA 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in the lymph was significantly different between the two groups at rest pre-GXT and 60 min of recovery post-GXT. 8-OHdG in the urine was significantly lower in the female group only at 60 min of recovery post-GXT. Partial sex differences were found in the reduction of muscle damage and DNA damage after 8 weeks of high-intensity intermittent running and weight training.