Oxidative stress, inflammatory, psychological markers and severity of respiratory infections are negatively affected during the pre-contest period in amateur bodybuilders.

We examined whether off-season (OffS) and pre-contest (PreC) periods affect blood oxidative stress, inflammation, immunological and psychological markers in twenty bodybuilders. The athletes completed food intake (3-d record), physical activities, mood states (POMS), recovery-stress (RESTQ-sport), Wisconsin Upper Respiratory Symptom Survey (WURSS-21), and blood were obtained for biochemistry analyses. Almost all athletes were in a positive energy balance during the OffS, while bodybuilders presented markedly restricted energy intake (~45%) leading to a loss of weight (-9%) and fat mass (-45%), with a corresponding preservation of fat free mass in PreC. Protein intake was high during both periods, while lipid and carbohydrate intake were reduced ~50% in PreC. Almost all athletes consumed 100% of the RDA for micronutrients in OffS and 45% and 75% of the athletes had intakes bellow the RDA for vitamin A and E in PreC. Oxidative damage to lipids (TBARS), protein carbonyl, TBARS/ total antioxidant capacity ratio increased in PreC (32%, 27%, 60%), accompanied by an increase in plasma TNF-α (4x), and WURSS-21 scores (25%). There were no significant changes in serum antioxidant catalase, glutathione reductase and superoxide dismutase, nor in IL-1β and immunoglobulin's. In PreC, POMS showed positive changes in vigor (-20%), and negative effects on fatigue (23%), as well as total mood disturbance (35%) and alterations in RESTQ-sport for general and sport stress (34 and 50%, respectively) and sport recovery (-23%). Thus, PreC negatively affects nutrient intake, which may exacerbate oxidative stress, inflammation and psychological status, as well as the severity of respiratory infections in bodybuilders.