Effect of maximal dynamic exercise on exhaled ethane and carbon monoxide levels in human, equine, and canine athletes

Exercise-induced oxidative stress (EIOS) refers to a condition where the balance of free radical production and antioxidant systems is disturbed during exercise in favour of pro-oxidant free radicals. Breath ethane is a product of free radical-mediated oxidation of cell membrane lipids and is considered to be a reliable marker of oxidative stress. The heatshock protein, haem oxygenase, is induced by oxidative stress and degrades haemoglobin to bilirubin, with concurrent production of carbon monoxide (CO). The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of maximal exercise on exhaled ethane and CO in human, canine, and equine athletes. Human athletes (n = 8) performed a maximal exercise test on a treadmill, and canine (n = 12) and equine (n = 11) athletes exercised at gallop on a sand racetrack. Breath samples were taken at regular intervals during exercise in the human athletes, and immediately before and after exercise in the canine and equine athletes. Breath samples were stored in gas-impermeable bags for analysis of ethane by laser spectroscopy, and CO was measured directly using an electrochemical CO monitor. Maximal exercise was associated with significant increases in exhaled ethane in the human, equine, and canine athletes. Decreased concentrations of exhaled CO were detected after maximal exercise in the human athletes, but CO was rarely detectable in the canine and equine athletes. The ethane breath test allows non-invasive and real-time detection of oxidative stress, and this method will facilitate further investigation of the processes mediating EIOS in human and animal athletes.