title: Haematological changes in elite kayakers during a training season.
abstract: This study monitored haematological markers in response to training load in elite kayakers during a training season. The sample comprised eight elite kayakers aged 22 ± 4.2 years with a 77.2 ± 6.7 kg body mass and a 177.5 ± 5.6 cm stature. The initial [Formula: see text]O(2max) was 61.2 ± 5.5 mL·kg(-1)·min(-1). The control group consisted of six healthy males, aged 18.6 ± 1.1 years, with an 81.3 ± 13.8 kg body mass and a 171.9 ± 4.5 cm stature. Blood samples were collected at the beginning of the training season after an off-training period of six weeks (t(0)), at the 11th week after the application of high training volumes (t(1)), at the 26th week after an intense training cycle (t(2)), and at the 31st week at the end of a tapering phase (t(3)). Differences between time points were detected using ANOVA and the Bonferroni post hoc test. Significant changes were found after the intense training cycle (t(2)), lymphocytes decreased while haemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, mean corposcular haemoglobin, mean concentration of corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, platelets distribution width, and red blood cell distribution width values increased when compared with baseline values. At t(3), a reduction in monocyte numbers and an increase in mean platelet volume compared with baseline values were seen. By reducing the volume and intensity of training, many variables returned to values close to those at baseline. Although many athletes had accumulated responses over time due to training, they still suffered transient changes that appear to be influenced by training load. Haemorheology monitoring may help detect health risks, especially during times of intensified training.
authors.affiliation: Research Centre for Sport and Physical Activity, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: Grasiely Faccin
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Borges
authors.forename: Luis Manuel Pinto Lopes
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Rama
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pedreiro
authors.forename: Fátima
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rosado
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.forename: Amândio Manuel Cupido
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Artur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paiva
authors.forename: Ana Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Teixeira
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D056352:Athletes; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D001835:Body Weight; D004906:Erythrocyte Count; D004909:Erythrocyte Indices / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D005082:Physical Exertion; D010953:Plasma Volume; D010976:Platelet Count; D013177:Sports / Q000502:physiology*