title: Effects of long-endurance running on immune system parameters and lymphocyte function in experienced marathoners.
abstract: The extent and duration of changes in leukocyte subsets, lymphocyte subpopulations, spontaneous blastogenesis, cortisol, and catecholamines were measured in ten experienced marathoners, who ran 3 h to exhaustion in a laboratory setting. Blood samples were taken at baseline, 1 h of exercise, and 5 min, 1.5 h, 6 h, and 21 h of recovery. The 3-h endurance run was associated with significant leukocytosis, granulocytosis, neutrophilia, monocytosis, and eosinopenia during recovery. All of these parameters except for eosinophils returned to normal by 21 h of recovery. Total lymphocyte count increased 31% at 1 h of exercise, then decreased 19% at 1.5 h of recovery when compared with baseline values. T cell count showed no significant changes, but B cell lymphocytosis was measured at 5 min and 6 h of recovery. T helper/T suppressor ratio (H/S) was significantly elevated 39% at both 1.5 h and 21 h of recovery due to the decrease in number of T suppressor cells. Spontaneous blastogenesis was significantly increased 52% by 1 h of exercise and remained elevated throughout recovery. The increase in cortisol from baseline to 1.5 h of recovery correlated positively with the increase in both total leukocyte count (r = 0.78, P = 0.008) and granulocyte count (r = 0.81, P = 0.005). Our results suggest that exhaustive endurance exercise in marathon runners is associated with many significant perturbations in immune system parameters, most of which return to normal levels at 21 h of recovery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Science, School of Public Health, Loma Linda University.
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Nieman
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Berk
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Simpson-Westerberg
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Arabatzis
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Youngberg
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Eby
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D010807:Physical Endurance; D012420:Running; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002395:Catecholamines; D006854:Hydrocortisone