Some haematological characteristics of competitive swimmers

Abstract

Some basic haematological characteristics of a group of competitive swimmers were compared with haematological “normal standards” and with a “control” group of non-athletes, unmatched for age. In the women, the values for red blood cell count, haemoglobin concentration, and mean red cell volume for both the swimmers and the controls were not significantly different from the normal standards. In the groups of men, both swimmers and controls, red cell counts were significantly lower than the normal standard values, although individual values lay within the “normal range” (mean ± 2 standard deviations). The ranges of the values for individuals were found to be narrow. There were no significant differences between these ranges over periods of five consecutive weeks and five consecutive months. Relatively large changes in results for individuals could occur before the results would be considered abnormal, that is, before the results fall outside the “normal range”. Early detection of changes may perhaps be facilitated if the range of values for individual athletes is determined by monitoring.

Effects of Iron Intake Through Food or Supplement on Iron Status and Performance of Healthy Adolescent Swimmers During a Training Season

“…Studies on swimmers have employed 5 ± 26 weeks of observation and have mostly shown no significant effects of training on hematological and biochemical indices, such as PCV, hemoglobin, iron, and ferritin [13,18,20,33]. One study reported a decrease in hemoglobin and ferritin concentration of mostly iron-depleted female swimmers during a competitive season [3], while another found decreased hemoglobin (but no other erythrocyte indices) in male swimmers after 8 ± 9 weeks of training [18].…”

“…However, there is no sufficient evidence in the literature that iron status decreases during a swimming season. The relevant studies have reported divergent results including no significant changes [20,33], improvement [16], deterioration [3], or mixed outcomes [13,18]. These discrepEffects of Iron Intake Through Food or Supplement on Iron Status and Performance of Healthy Adolescent Swimmers During a Training Season G. Tsalis M. G. Nikolaidis V. Mougios ancies may be explained by the lack of control for extraneous variables, most notably, nutrition.…”

“…However, there is no sufficient evidence in the literature that iron status decreases during a swimming season. The relevant studies have reported divergent results including no significant changes [20,33], improvement [16], deterioration [3], or mixed outcomes [13,18]. These discrep-…”

Επίδραση Της Πρόσληψης Σιδήρου Μέσω Της Τροφής Και Συμπληρωμάτων Στην Απόδοση Και Στην Κατάσταση Σιδήρου Εφήβων Κολυμβητών Και Κολυμβητριών

“…Υπάρχει έλλειψη µελετών σε εφήβους κολυµβητές µε καταγραφή της κατάστασης σιδήρου κατά τη διάρκεια µιας µακράς προπονητικής περιόδου, όπως έγινε στην παρούσα µελέτη. Οι σχετικές µελέτες έχουν διάρκεια παρατήρησης 5 -26 εβδοµάδες και οι περισσότερες δεν έχουν δείξει σηµαντική επίδραση της προπόνησης σε αιµατολογικές και βιοχηµικές παραµέτρους, όπως ο αιµατοκρίτης, η αιµοσφαιρίνη, ο σίδηρος ορού και η φεριτίνη (Lukaski et al, 1990• Pizza et al, 1997• Rowland et al, 1989• Willan et al, 1981. Μια µελέτη ανέφερε µείωση της αιµοσφαιρίνης και της φεριτίνης σε σιδηροπενικές κολυµβήτριες κατά τη διάρκεια αγωνιστικής περιόδου (Brigham et al, 1993), ενώ µια άλλη βρήκε ελάττωση της αιµοσφαιρίνης (όχι όµως και άλλων αιµατολογικών παραµέτρων) σε κολυµβητές µετά από 8 -9 εβδοµάδες προπόνησης (Pizza et al, 1997).…”