Abstract des Autors

In 53 participants of a training course in medium altitude climbing for Austrian national mountain guides the red and white blood count, serum enzymes, free fatty acids, glyceride concentrations and electrolytes were investigated over a period of two weeks on five different times. Halfway through this period a testclimb on Austria's highest mountain (3,798 m), which was undertaken using the most difficult routes with an average finishing time of about 13 hours, was investigated separately concerning fat metabolism and the blood concentrations of epinephrine, norepinephrine, cortisol and beta endorphine. It can be concluded, that the aerobic lipolytic metabolism may be dominant in these experienced and well trained mountain guides also during intensive difficulties in climbing, so that carbohydrate metabolism will be used only to a lower extent. That means that mountain climbing at medium altitudes although on difficult routes can be characterized as a long term endurance activity, as it has been also shown by low changes of the stress hormones. In addition the intake of fluids and minerals will be of utmost importance to grant a constant performance capacity. Verf.-Referat