Effects of physical exercise and aging on ascorbic acid and superoxide anion levels in peritoneal macrophages from mice and guinea pigs

The relationship of physical activity and aging, two processes with a high production of oxygen-free radicals to the ascorbate and superoxide anion (O2-) contents of peritoneal macrophages was studied in two animals species: guinea-pig (in which ascorbic acid is a vitamin) and mouse (in which ascorbic acid is not a vitamin). The effects of exhaustive exercise were examined in young and old animals. The results show that macrophages from old animals have a lower ascorbate content than those from young ones, whereas with exercise the ascorbate content increased in both old and young animals. This increase was higher in young than in old animals, and more evident in mice than in guinea-pigs. Aging also resulted in an increase in the O2- levels of macrophages. With exercise these levels decreased in young mice but increased in young guinea-pigs. In old animals the exhaustive exercise did not change the O2- levels. The results suggest in general a lack of correlation between the intracellular ascorbate and O2- levels in relation to both physical exercise and aging.