Acute and Chronic Effects of Whole-Body Vibration Training on Oxidative Stress and Cellular Damage Markers in Young Healthy Women

The acute (single-session) and chronic (12-week) effects of whole-body vibration training (WBVT) on oxidative stress, muscle damage, and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage were evaluated in inactive women (20.48 ± 1.72 years). Participants were assigned to vibration training (EVG, n = 17), traditional exercise (EXG, n = 12), or control groups (CON, n = 17). Blood was collected pre- and post- the first and last sessions for EVG and EXG and at baseline and after 12 weeks for the CON. A significant main effect of time was observed for total antioxidant capacity (TAC, p < 0.001), indicating long-term enhancement of the antioxidant barrier across all groups. Analysis of change scores (Δ) revealed that the 12-week intervention significantly dampened the acute post-exercise response for white blood cells (WBCs, p < 0.001), neutrophils (NEUTs, p = 0.010), and myoglobin (Mb, p = 0.004), confirming systemic adaptation in both training groups. A significant reduction in total oxidant status (TOS, p = 0.042) was also noted between the first and last sessions. Significant main effects of group were found for WBCs, NEUTs, 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), Mb, body mass, and fat-free mass, reflecting persistent baseline differences; however, no significant group-by-time interactions were identified. In conclusion, while WBVT did not show superior effects, it is a safe modality, comparable to traditional exercise, for improving oxidative stress tolerance and muscle recovery.