Abstract

To investigate the effects of caloric restriction combined with physical training on the immunity in athletes, some cellular and humoral immune functions were examined in 9 young female athletes before and after a caloric restriction program. The control group consisted of 7 age-matched female non-athletes who were not on diet. The athletes continued their exercise trainings as usual and ate low-caloric diets (1,300 kcal/day: including 60 g/day of protein) for 2 weeks. The results of this study show that even a moderate caloric restriction program might reduce some immune functions in the athletes continuing their daily physical trainings. The deterioration in immunity, however, might not affect their health, because those functions in the athletes of this study had been originally enhanced, and maintained the normal range after a moderate weight reduction. Verf.-Referat