Changes in immune functions during a peaking period in male university soccer players

Abstract

The concept of peaking ensures that athletes have trained to attain their absolute peak performance levels prior to a competition. This study investigates the effects of peaking on the functions of neutrophils and lymphocytes in university soccer players during a five-day soccer training camp followed by two weeks of tapering. The study subjects were 22 soccer players who were members of a university soccer club. We carried out our investigation during a five-day training camp and two weeks after the training camp (i.e. the tapering period). We measured body composition, immune-related parameters (leukocyte count, neutrophil count, lymphocyte count, immunoglobulins and complements), myogenic enzymes, superoxide dismutase activity (SOD) and neutrophil functions [reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, phagocytic activity, serum opsonic activity and lymphocyte subtypes]. Leukocyte and neutrophil counts tend to increase after the training camp compared with values before the training camp, and recovered during the conditioning period, although the final values were still lower than those before the training camp. The amount of ROS production per neutrophil and level of SOD decreased significantly during the conditioning period compared with before the training camp (p < 0.05, p < 0.01, respectively). Levels of Th1 cells decreased significantly during the conditioning period compared with the training camp (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the period of two weeks for the tapering period was considered insufficient to allow the athletes' immune function to recover completely after an intensive training camp.

The impact of physical training on neutrophil extracellular traps in young male athletes – a pilot study

“…Ueno et al [ 16 ] suggested that a 2-week tapering period seems to be enough time for muscle adaptation and recovery to occur after athletes attended an intensive training camp, which is consistent with the results of our research. At T3 (after training at home), we saw changes that probably reflect the “repeated bout effect”, such that skeletal muscle tissue adapts after the first session of damaging exercise.…”

“…In the present study, only the neutrophil counts tended to decrease after 5 days of intensive training loads, which suggested that neutrophil cells were most affected by intensive exercise among white blood cells. In contrast, Ueno et al [ 16 ] did not observe any change in neutrophil counts before and after 5 days of an intensified training camp, and two weeks after the training camp. On the other hand, in healthy untrained adults, neutrophil counts fell below pre-exercise values after 2 and 3 days of acute exercise bout, before gradually returning to basal levels [ 19 ].…”

“…Creatine kinase is a widely used biomarker in sport, as an indicator of muscle damage and training load [ 16 , 17 ]. CK levels peak approximately 24 hours after damaging exercise, but it may remain elevated for up to 7 days or longer, as an indicator of insufficient recovery [ 17 ].…”

“…To our knowledge, the impact of intense multiple physical exercise on NET production has not been studied. Previous research has focused on phagocytic function or the ability to produce reactive oxygen species [ 16 , 21 ]. However, in the context of NET, only the effect of acute exercise has been studied in humans [ 4 , 5 ] and mice [ 22 ].…”

Estado Físico, Fisiológico E Psicossocial De Atletas Do Tae Kwon Do Na Pré-Competição

“…Especula-se que um maior período de polimento poderia proporcionar uma maior redução neste marcador de dano muscular. Especialmente, considerando que apesar de evidências mostrarem bons resultados com uma semana de polimento 23,24 , existe um volume maior de estudos atestando duas semanas como o ideal [25][26][27] . A CK é o marcador que tem sido melhor associado com o desgaste tecidual muscular 28 .…”