Abstract

16 subjects (male, 26.3+-3.5 yrs, 75.1+-6.5 kg, VO2max: 53.6+-6.7 ml/min/kg) performed endurance exercises at 100 (exhaustive), and 85 (limited) of the individual anaerobic threshold (IAT; workload (100 IAT): 3.00+-0.50 W/kg, duration of both exercises: 87+-21 min). Before (b), immediately (0 p), 60 min (60 p), 120 min (120 p) and 24 hrs (24 hp) after exercise, leucocyte subpopulations as well as catecholamines, cortisol, beta-endorphin and ACTH were determined. At 0 p, 60 p and 120 p, granulocytes were significantly higher at 100 IAT than at 85 IAT, lymphocytes and monocytes did not differ. At 60 p and 120 p, granulocytes had highest, lymphocytes lowest values. CD8+- and CD16+-lymphocytes showed greater changes than CD3+-, CD4+-, CD19+-lymphocytes and were significantly higher at 100 IAT than at 85 IAT (0 p). Epinephrine and norepinephrine were significantly higher at 100 IAT than at 85 IAT. Cortisol, ACTH and beta-endorphin increased at 100 IAT, but not at 85 IAT (0 p). Significant correlations were calculated for cortisol (0 p) versus granulocytes (60 p, 120 p) at 100 IAT. Epinephrine did not correlate to increases of lymphocytes or lymphocyte subpopulations. Thus, increases of granulocytes, CD16+- and CD8+-lymphocytes are dependent on the intensity of endurance exercises and precise definition of the individual workload is important. The increase of granulocytes after exercise is partly due to increased levels of cortisol but increased numbers of lymphocytes did not correlate to levels of catecholamines. Verf.-Referat