Assessment of Propolis Supplementation on Serum Concentrations of Liver Enzymes in Endurance Athletes with Four Weeks Aerobic Training

Background: Aerobic and intense exercises with an increase in free radicals cause damages at the cellular level, heart disease, cancer, and the development of aging processes, which one of its symptoms is increased serum concentrations of liver enzymes. Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the concurrent effect of four weeks of aerobic training and propolis supplementation on the activity of liver enzymes, including ALT, AST, and SOD in endurance athletes. Methods: Thirty-two male athletes (age: 21±1.4 years) in track and field were randomly divided into three groups: exercise group, exercise with placebo group, and exercise with supplement group. Propolis supplementation was taken as two tablets (500 mg) twice a day and aerobic exercise was performed for 4 weeks and in 24 sessions with an intensity of 60 to 65% of heart rate. The statistical method was done using one-way ANOVA and Tukey post hoc test by SPSS v. 18 software. Findings: The results showed that there was a statistically significant difference between groups in serum levels of SOD, AST, and ALT (P<0.05). There was not a statistically significant difference between the exercise group and placebo+exercise group in serum levels of SOD, AST, and ALT (P>0.05). Conclusion: The results showed that aerobic exercise alone can increase SOD levels and propolis supplementation with aerobic exercise can reduce AST and ALT serum levels and lead to improved liver cell function.