Effect of carbohydrate restriction on oxidative stress response to high-intensity resistance exercise

Ketogenic diets consisting of >70% dietary intake from lipids may induce favorable shifts in the redox environment such as reduced markers of oxidative stress (OS). However, a diet with such low dietary carbohydrate intake is difficult to sustain for long periods of time. This study investigated the effects of a low-carbohydrate, high-fat (LCHF) diet on markers of OS before and after high-intensity resistance exercise (HIRE). The HIRE protocol involved five rounds of back squat, deadlift, and bench press completed in respective order and in a descending ladder (10, 8, 6, 4, 2 repetitions) with minimal to no rest. The LCHF diet was 15 days of >50% of calories from fat, >= 25% of calories from protein, and <= 25% of calories from carbohydrates. Blood was sampled before exercise, immediately post-exercise, and 60 minutes post-exercise and analyzed for total antioxidant capacity (TAC), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glucose. The exercise protocol increased (P < .05) plasma levels of glucose, TNF-alpha, and MDA. There was a significant increase in MDA from pre to post exercise following the western diet but not the LCHF condition. The LCHF diet did not significantly impact any other blood marker of OS.