Abstract

The principal objective of this paper is basic research on the development of an easy and rapid method to estimate physical fatigue levels. The focus of the research is to determine chronically fatigued conditions at an early stage for the prevention of chronic fatigue. Special attention was given to overtraining as one form of chronic fatigue in this paper. Long-distance runners representatives of a university in Tokyo nominated for Hakone-Ekiden were recruited as subjects. Examinations with informed consent were carried out on a once a month basis during 8 months and included the following; 1) physical characteristics; body weight and body fat weight, 2) serum-biochemical test; 6 parameters by the dry-chemistry method and the traditional method, 3) subjective fatigue levels; the questionnaire of subjective symptom authorized by the Japan association of industrial health and the profile of mood state (POMS). In this paper, data obtained from 19 male runners attending all 8 examinations were statistically analyzed. Serum parameters obtained by the dry-chemistry method, an easy and rapid method which provides clinical values on site, showed significant correlations with the traditional method. No correlation was observed between subjective fatigue scores and serum enzyme activity levels which were used as markers for estimation of physical fatigue levels in this study, however, monthly changes of enzyme levels and fatigue scores from July to August seemed to correlate in almost all subjects. In contrast, using data obtained in the entire exprimental period, there was no relationship between the monthly changes of enzyme levels and fatigue scores. The results may indicate that some subjects exhibit gaps between physical fatigue and feelings of fatigue. The above mentioned results suggest that measurements of serum enzyme activity levels using the dry-chemistry method are a useful indicator for the prevention of overtraining. Verf.-Referat