The response to strenuous exercise was investigated by reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, oxidative damage, thiol redox status, and inflammation assessments in 32 enrolled triathlon athletes (41:9±7:9yrs) during Ironman® (IR), or half Ironman® (HIR) competition. In biological samples, inflammatory cytokines, aminothiols (glutathione (GSH), homocysteine (Hcy), cysteine (Cys), and cysteinylglycine (CysGly)), creatinine and neopterin, oxidative stress (OxS) biomarkers (protein carbonyl (PC), thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS)), and ROS were assessed. Thirteen HIR and fourteen IR athletes ?nished the race. Postrace, ROS (HIR +20%; IR +28%; p<0:0001), TBARS (HIR +57%; IR +101%), PC (HIR +101%; IR +130%) and urinary neopterin (HIR +19%, IR +27%) significantly (range p<0:05-0.0001) increased. Moreover, HIR showed an increase in total Cys +28%, while IR showed total aminothiols, Cys, Hcy, CysGly, and GSH increase by +48, +30, +58, and +158%, respectively (range p<0:05-0.0001). ROS production was significantly correlated with TBARS and PC (R2=0:38 and R2=0:40; p<0:0001) and aminothiols levels (range R2=0:17-0.47; range p<0:01-0.0001). In particular, ROS was directly correlated with the athletes`age (R2=0:19;p<0:05), with ultraendurance years of training (R2=0:18;p<0:05) and the days/week training activity (R2=0:1 6;p<0:05). Finally, the days/week training activity (hours/in the last 2 weeks) was found inversely correlated with the IL-6 postrace (R2=-0:21;p<0:01). A strenuous performance, the Ironman® distance triathlon competition, alters the oxidant/antioxidant balance through a great OxS response that is directly correlated to the inflammatory parameters; furthermore, the obtained data suggest that an appropriate training time has to be selected in order to achieve the lowest ROS production and IL-6 concentration at the same time
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