title: Strenuous exercise causes systemic endotoxemia.
abstract: Eighteen triathletes were studied before and immediately after competing in an ultradistance triathlon. Their mean plasma lipopolysaccharide (LPS) concentrations increased from 0.081 to 0.294 ng/ml (P less than 0.001), and their mean plasma anti-LPS immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentrations decreased from 67.63 to 38.99 micrograms/ml (P less than 0.001). Both pretriathlon plasma LPS and anti-LPS IgG levels were directly related to the intensity of training (P less than 0.02 and P less than 0.01, respectively). It is possible that training-induced stress led to some leakage of LPS into the circulation, which, in turn, resulted in self-immunization against LPS. The effects on athletic performance in relation to exercise-induced changes in plasma LPS and anti-LPS IgG levels require further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthetics, Medical School, University of Natal, Congella, South Africa.
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Bosenberg
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Brock-Utne
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Gaffin
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Wells
authors.forename: G T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Blake
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D012420:Running; D013178:Sports Medicine
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides