Observation of serum erythropoietin concentrations in female athletes for up to eight days after a marathon run.
Erythropoietin (EPO) was studied in 13 female marathon runners before and up to 8 days after a competition marathon run. The median baseline control value was 13.7 U/l. No change in EPO concentration was found immediately (15 min.) and one day after the run. However, a median increase in EPO concentration (18.1 U/l) was found on day three post-exercise (p< 0.05). On day 8 no change was found compared to pre-exercise values. This late increase in EPO concentration would seem to be responsible for the well known increase of red blood cell mass in long distance runners.
Roecker
L
L
Center for Space Medicine Berlin, Department of Physiology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany. lroecker@zedat.fu-berlin.de
Kowoll
R
R
Fraszl
W
W
Battal
K
K
Brechtel
L
L
Brachmann
S
S
Meier-Buttermilch
R
R
Gunga
H C
HC
Stangl
A
A
Kiesewetter
H
H
D000328:Adult; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology*; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology*; D013177:Sports / Q000502:physiology*
D004921:Erythropoietin