Why Should You Care About Biomarkers Associated With Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)
That Nitric Oxide Impacts?

Thursday February 9th, 2024
Authors: Barbara Depta

Resync

Let’s start by clarifying key terminology so you can understand why this subject is important to your well-being, not just muscle soreness after an intense workout.

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is a typical condition characterized by muscle pain and stiffness that typically occurs after we put ourselves through an intense workout or an exercise our body is not accustomed to.

Nitric oxide (NO) is a signaling molecule that plays a crucial role in many physiological processes in the body, including the regulation of blood flow, immune function, and muscle contraction.

Now, understanding the biomarkers associated with DOMS that nitric oxide impacts will help you understand what potential strategies you may want to consider to avoid muscle soreness and improve your well-being.

Here are key reasons why you should care about these biomarkers:

1. Inflammation and Oxidative Stress:

DOMS is often accompanied by inflammation and oxidative stress. Nitric oxide happens to be involved in modulating inflammatory responses and can also act as an antioxidant. So what is the impact of nitric oxide on biomarkers associated with inflammation and oxidative stress?

Nitric oxide (NO) plays a complex and multifaceted role in the regulation of inflammation and oxidative stress. Its impact on biomarkers associated with these processes depends on various factors, including the context, concentration of nitric oxide, and the specific biological systems involved.

Here are some insights into the impact of nitric oxide on biomarkers associated with inflammation and oxidative stress:

Anti-Inflammatory Effects:

Cytokine Modulation - Nitric oxide can exert anti-inflammatory effects by modulating the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). By inhibiting the expression of these cytokines, nitric oxide contributes to the downregulation of inflammatory responses.
Inhibition of NF-κB Activation - Nitric oxide can interfere with the activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), a key transcription factor involved in the expression of many pro-inflammatory genes. Inhibiting NF-κB activation helps to suppress the production of inflammatory mediators.

Oxidative Stress Regulation:

Antioxidant Properties - Nitric oxide itself can act as an antioxidant by scavenging free radicals. Additionally, NO can stimulate the expression of antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), helping to counteract oxidative stress.
Peroxynitrite Formation- On the other hand, Nitric oxide can react with superoxide anion to form peroxynitrite, a potent oxidant. This reaction can contribute to oxidative stress and damage to cellular components. As with everything in life, too much of the good things can be bad for your well-being. And that brings us to the next point.

Dual Role in Inflammation and Oxidative Stress:

The dual role of nitric oxide in inflammation and oxidative stress is often concentration-dependent. For example, low concentrations of nitric oxide generally exhibit anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, while higher concentrations may promote inflammation and oxidative stress.

In the context of exercise-induced inflammation, which is the key subject of this blog, such as that seen in delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), the impact of Nitric oxide on biomarkers is likely to be influenced by the specific conditions of exercise, the extent of muscle damage, and the overall redox balance in the affected soft tissues.

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2. Blood Flow Regulation:

Nitric oxide is a vasodilator, meaning it relaxes blood vessels and improves blood flow to tissues, including muscles and surrounding fascia affected by DOMS.

That’s why adequate blood flow is essential for nutrient delivery, waste removal, muscle and tissue repair, and recovery.

Now, nitric oxide plays a crucial role in endothelial function. Reduced endothelial dysfunction in situations where DOMS is associated with endothelial dysfunction, nitric oxide can help promote a healthier vascular response.

Lastly, enhanced muscle oxygenation is crucial for the recovery of muscle and surrounding fascia affected by DOMS, as oxygen is needed for various metabolic processes and repair mechanisms.

3. Muscle Function and Repair:

Nitric oxide is involved in muscle contraction and repair processes. Nitric oxide influences cell activation, which plays a role in muscle regeneration.

Here are some key biomarkers and processes related to muscle function and repair that are impacted by nitric oxide.

Satellite Cell Activation:

All right, this needs to be broken down quite a bit so you can understand the importance of the satellite cells.

When your muscles get damaged, these satellite cells get a signal to go into action. They rush to the damaged area and start fixing it up. They can make new muscle cells, repair the ones that got hurt, and basically make sure everything goes back to normal.

So, you can think of the satellite cells as your muscle repair team. They're always on standby, ready to jump into action whenever your muscles need a little fixing or after you've played the really hard game or pushed your body beyond its expectations. Without these satellite cells, our muscles wouldn't be able to recover and stay strong for the next training session.

Protein Synthesis and Myofibrillar Proteins:

Nitric oxide can activate the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway, which plays a central role in regulating protein synthesis. Why should you care? Because increased protein synthesis is essential for the repair and hypertrophy of your muscle fibers.

Nitric oxide may also impact the expression of myosin heavy chain expression, which is a major component of muscle fibers, and can influence muscle fiber composition and function. Again critical for muscle recovery.

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Blood Flow and Oxygen Delivery:

Even though we have already addressed blood flow and muscle oxygenation, there is one more important thing. Nitric Oxide is involved in the regulation of angiogenesis and the formation of new blood vessels. This process also contributes to improved oxygen and nutrient supply to regenerate muscle tissues.

Mitochondrial Biogenesis:

Lastly, nitric oxide has been linked to the activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC-1α), which is a master regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis. Again, why should you care about it when we talk about muscle soreness?

Because improved mitochondrial function supports energy production and cellular resilience during muscle recovery and repair.

Of course, like with any subject, further research can always help us uncover more. Therefore, while nitric oxide can impact these biomarkers associated with DOMS, its precise role in modulating DOMS severity and recovery requires further investigation.

In the meantime, incorporating strategies to optimize nitric oxide production through proper diet and supplementation is invited to help you feel your best post-exhaustive workout and avoid soreness the day after.