Acute effects of soccer training on white blood cell count in elite female players.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the acute changes in leukocyte number and cortisol after a single bout of soccer training.


METHODS
Ten elite female national-team soccer players and 8 nonathletes participated in the study. The duration of the exercise was 2 h, and it was performed at an intensity of 75% of maximal heart rate (HRmax). Blood samples were taken before, immediately after, and 4 h after a soccer training session to determine total white blood cells; the subsets of neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, and basophils; and cortisol. At the same time, blood samples were obtained from nonathletes who refrained from exercise.


RESULTS
Data analysis indicated a significant increase in total white blood cells in the athletes postexercise (P < .001). The leukocytosis was still evident after 4 h of recovery (78% higher than the preexercise values), and there was a significant difference between athletes and nonathletes (P < .001). This leukocytosis was primarily caused by neutrophilia-there were no significant differences in lymphocytes after the end of exercise or between the 2 groups (P > 0.05). In addition, there was a statistically significant difference in cortisol concentration between athletes and nonathletes after the exercise (P < .001).


CONCLUSIONS
These findings revealed that the single bout of soccer training at an intensity of 75% of HRmax induced leukocytosis without affecting the lymphocyte count in elite female athletes and probably the effectiveness of cellular components of adaptive immunity. Coaches should provide adequate time (>4 h) until the next exercise session.
Avloniti
Alexandra A
AA
Dept of Physical Education and Sport Science, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupoli, Greece.
Douda
Helen T
HT
Tokmakidis
Savvas P
SP
Kortsaris
Alexandros H
AH
Papadopoulou
Evropi G
EG
Spanoudakis
Emmanouil G
EG
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000886:Anthropometry; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D007962:Leukocytes; D007964:Leukocytosis; D009504:Neutrophils; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D012916:Soccer / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors