Redox Status and Exercise Training-induced Adaptations

Excess fat accumulation is a key feature of overweight and obesity that is mainly driven by nutrient overload and insufficient physical activity. White adipose tissue displays lipid overload and hypertrophy accompanied by macrophages infiltration, hypoxia, inflammation and excess production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). An inflammatory response and ROS production are also evident in other metabolism regulating tissues and organs such as skeletal muscle, liver, pancreas and hypothalamus, contributing to a chronic inflammatory state, redox status disturbances and metabolic complications. There is overwhelming evidence showing that adults with overweight/obesity exhibit lower glutathione (GSH) levels in blood erythrocytes, skeletal muscle cells and subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue cells. GSH, a tripeptide consisting of the amino acids glutamate, cysteine and glycine, is the most