Effects of resistance exercise and protein ingestion on blood leukocytes and platelets in young and older men

Abstract

This study investigated, in a multi-experiment design, the acute effects of milk protein ingestion, aging [50 young (approximately 26 years) vs. 45 older (approximately 61 years) men] and training state for the blood leukocyte and platelet responses acutely after a single bout of resistance exercise (RE). Moreover, basal effects of 21 weeks of resistance training (RT) were examined. The single bout of RE rapidly increased all blood leukocytes and platelets (P < 0.05). Protein ingestion before or before and after the RE bout did not have an effect on this response. However, younger men had a larger immediate exercise-induced response in leukocytes and platelets than older men. Basal fasting levels of leukocytes and platelets remained unchanged after 21 weeks of RT and this RT period did not change the acute RE-induced leukocyte and platelet response. The long-term RT was, however, able to slightly increase blood hematocrit. Blood platelet counts were consistently higher in the younger men when compared to the older men. Blood lymphopenia occurred only after a larger volume of exercise. In conclusion, the acute increase in blood leukocytes and platelets may be smaller in the older as when compared to the younger men. However, the number of immune cells and thus probably their function may not be affected by milk protein ingestion or months of resistance training.

Effects of Exercise Training on Red Blood Cell Production: Implications for Anemia

“…Identically, a cross-sectional study [25] and longitudinal studies [21,28,31,37,38] showed that strength training stimulates erythropoiesis in young and middle-aged subjects, while some previous papers did not demonstrate an improvement in Hb and HCT in young subjects [39,40]. Several factors could also be proposed to further explain these discrepancies.…”

“…Secondly, seasonal variation of red blood cell variables exists [31], and this possible effect of a concomitant, potentially confounding factor was probably not controlled for in some studies. Thirdly, age seems to be an influential factor for erythrocytic adaptation to strength training [38]. Murray-Kolb et al [41] demonstrated no alterations in Hb and HCT values after strength training for 12 weeks (5 exercises, 3 sets at 80% of 1RM) in healthy older subjects.…”

Acute Hematological Responses to a Maximal Incremental Treadmill Test

“…Tal elevação já foi evidenciada em modalidades distintas, como no exercício resistido (Hulmi et al, 2010), na execução do YoYo Endurance Test em jovens futebolistas (Cardia, Peçanha, Figueiredo, & de Castro, 2006) e após execução de meia maratona (Siqueira et al, 2009).…”

“…Esta é a primeira fase de resposta dos indicadores imunológicos. Entretanto, após a conclusão do exercício físico gerador de estresse, os linfócitos retornam rapidamente aos níveis basais ou abaixo destes, segunda fase da resposta da série imune, o que é apontado como causa da chamada "open window", período no qual os atletas demonstram-se mais suscetíveis a infecções, com duração variável de 2 a 72 horas, dependendo do exercício (Hulmi et al, 2010;Pedersen, Rohde, & Ostrowski, 1998;Rosa & Vaisberg, 2002).…”

The responses of white blood cells to weight loss among young male judoists

“…And those can affect the immune system in response to this action. White blood cells increasing that is seen in most of the researches [10] like the present one, may result from Notrocytes related to the effect of catecholamine and cortisol changes and some factors resulting from intensive exercise like judo. In the adult participants, there is an initial increase after the exercise, in the natural killer cell number.…”