Muscle Damage, Oxidative Stress, Ozone Therapy, Recovery
Conditions
Keywords
Ozone theraphy, Eccentric exercise, Muscle damage biomarkers, Oxidative stress
Brief summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to determine the effectiveness of different ozone therapy methods in enhancing recovery after muscle-damaging exercise in healthy adults, and to evaluate their impact on biochemical markers of muscle damage and fatigue. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Do ozone-based interventions accelerate recovery by reducing biochemical markers of muscle damage and fatigue following eccentric exercise? * Which ozone therapy modality provides the greatest recovery benefit? Researchers will compare three intervention groups (autohemotherapy, ozone sauna therapy, and ozonated lavender oil massage) with a control group receiving no treatment. Participants will: * Complete a standardized eccentric exercise protocol designed to induce muscle damage * Receive one of the assigned interventions or no treatment (control) * Provide blood samples at multiple time points (baseline, post-exercise, post-intervention, and 24, 48, and 72 hours follow-up) to assess recovery- related biomarkers
Detailed description
This randomized controlled trial was designed to investigate the effects of different ozone therapy modalities on recovery following eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage in healthy male amateur collegiate football players aged 18-30 years. Thirty-two participants were randomly assigned to one of four groups: autohemotherapy, ozone sauna therapy, ozonated lavender oil massage, or a no-intervention control group (n = 8 per group). All participants completed a standardized eccentric exercise protocol to induce muscle damage and fatigue. Following exercise, participants in the intervention groups received a single session of their assigned treatment, while the control group remained at rest without any recovery intervention. Autohemotherapy involved withdrawal of venous blood, exposure to an oxygen-ozone mixture, and reinfusion. Ozone sauna therapy was applied in a sealed cabin under controlled conditions with measures to prevent inhalation. Ozonated lavender oil massage was administered to the lower extremities using standardized massage techniques. Blood samples were collected at baseline, immediately post-exercise, post-intervention, and at 24, 48, and 72 hours after intervention. Serum levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and uric acid (UA) were analyzed as indicators of muscle damage and metabolic stress. Statistical analysis was performed using two-way permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) to assess group, time, and group × time interaction effects.
Interventions
OTHERAutohemotherapy
Autohemotherapy was performed by withdrawing 100 mL of venous blood, which was subsequently exposed to an oxygen-ozone gas mixture (5% ozone, 95% oxygen) for 5-10 minutes in an ozone-resistant, sterile container. The ozonated blood was then rein-fused intravenously over a 15-minute period in accordance with established clinical protocols
OTHEROzone Sauna Therapy
Ozone sauna therapy was administered in a sealed cabin maintained at a tempera-ture of 45°C. Participants remained seated with the head positioned outside the cabin and the neck sealed using a polyethylene collar to prevent ozone inhalation. Each session lasted 20 minutes and was conducted at an ozone concentration of 20 µg·mL-¹
OTHEROzonated Lavender Oil Massage
Massage with ozonated lavender oil was administered by a certified massage thera-pist and targeted the lower extremity muscle groups, including the quadriceps, ham-strings, and gluteal muscles. The intervention lasted 20 minutes in total (10 minutes per limb) and followed standardized techniques adapted from Braun and Simonson (2008).
Sponsors
Inonu University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
OTHER
Masking
SINGLE (Subject)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
MALE
Age
18 Years to 30 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* male football players aged 18-30 years * playing exclusively in the midfield position * active participation in regional professional football leagues (non-top-tier) * engagement in regular football training at least four sessions per week with a minimum duration of 90 minutes per session * absence of acute or chronic musculoskeletal injuries within the preceding six months * no use of anti-inflammatory medications or ergogenic supplements within the four weeks prior to the study
Exclusion criteria
* female football players * diagnosed cardiovascular, metabolic, or neurological disorders * known hypersensitivity to ozone exposure or lavender oil * any surgical intervention within the past six months * concurrent participation in alternative recovery or therapeutic interventions during the study period * playing positions other than midfield
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| CK | Baseline, immediately post-exercise, immediately after ozone sauna treatment, 24 hours after ozone sauna treatment, 48 hours after ozone sauna treatment and 72 hours after ozone sauna treatment. | Serum Creatine Kinase level |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| LDH | Baseline, immediately post-exercise, immediately after ozone sauna treatment, 24 hours after ozone sauna treatment, 48 hours after ozone sauna treatment and 72 hours after ozone sauna treatment. | Serum lactate dehydrogenase level |
| AST | Baseline, immediately post-exercise, immediately after ozone sauna treatment, 24 hours after ozone sauna treatment, 48 hours after ozone sauna treatment and 72 hours after ozone sauna treatment. | Serum Aspartate Aminotransferase level |
| UA | Baseline, immediately post-exercise, immediately after ozone sauna treatment, 24 hours after ozone sauna treatment, 48 hours after ozone sauna treatment and 72 hours after ozone sauna treatment. | Serum Uric Acid level |
| ALT | Baseline, immediately post-exercise, immediately after ozone sauna treatment, 24 hours after ozone sauna treatment, 48 hours after ozone sauna treatment and 72 hours after ozone sauna treatment. | Serum Alanine Aminotransferase level |
Countries
Turkey (Türkiye)
Outcome results
None listed