Plasma ammonia response to sprint swimming.
BACKGROUND
To study the plasma ammonia response after sprint crawl swimming.


METHODS
Nine sprinters (S) and ten non-sprinters (NS) completed a 15-, a 25- and a 50-m crawl at maximal intensity with a 10-min and a 15-min resting period in-between. Capillary blood samples were collected before and at regular intervals after each effort for plasma ammonia determination.


RESULTS
Ammonia kinetics differed among distances, but not between groups, with peak values (observed 2-8 min postexercise) being higher after 50 m as compared to shorter distances. Significant differences between S and NS were found in peak ammonia after 50 m (124.5 +/- 58.2 vs 98.7 +/- 6.3 mumoL-1) and in the change of ammonia relative to swim time (delta NH3/delta t) after 25 m (2.66 +/- 1.87 vs 1.49 +/- 0.84 mumol L-1 s-1) and 50 m (1.87 +/- 1.33 vs 1.01 +/- 0.49 mumol L-1 s-1). delta NH3/delta t was highest after 15 m (3.33 +/- 2.53 in S, 3.92 +/- 1.67 mumol L-1 s-1 in NS).


CONCLUSIONS
These differences in the plasma ammonia response to sprint swimming according to duration and athlete seem to be connected to distinctions in muscle fiber profile and energy providing processes.
Department of Cardiology and Sports Medicine, Sports University of Cologne, Germany.
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Mader
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Mougios
D000328:Adult; D000641:Ammonia / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013550:Swimming / Q000502:physiology*
D000641:Ammonia