Changes in the quantitative and qualitative indicators of blood in athletes training speed, endurance or strength performance

Abstract

The vast majority of researches have focused on the study of an association between the body physical capabilities and quantitative, qualitative indicators and the rheological properties of blood depending on the level of physical activity or physical performance. However, the influence of performance (strength, endurance, speed), which is mainly trained by athletes, on the quantitative and qualitative blood indicators have not been studied enough.The aim of the work – to study the association between the quantitative and qualitative blood indicators with the characteristics of strength, endurance or speed, that are mainly trained by athletes in different sports.Materials and methods. A total of 72 athletes (52 men and 20 women) qualified from Candidate Master of Sports (CMS) to Master of Sports of International Class (MSIC) (mean age 21.75 ± 3.32 years) were examined. Depending on the physical performance mainly trained by athletes, three groups were formed: the first group – 48 athletes who mainly trained endurance performance (triathlon, swimming, long-distance running, rowing), the second group – 16 athletes who mainly trained speed performance (sprint running), the third group – 8 athletes who mainly trained strength performance (weightlifting, powerlifting, kettlebell lifting). Among them, there were MSIC – 2, masters of sports (MS) – 25, CMS – 45. Blood parameters were determined in the capillary blood of the athletes, using an automatic hematology analyzer “Abacus junior” (Diatron Messtechnik GmbH, Austria).Results. Groups of athletes who mainly trained endurance or strength performance did not differ from each other in many blood indicators. However, athletes who mainly trained strength performance had a more pronounced anisocytosis, as evidenced by a 5.8 % (Р = 0.008) increase in erythrocyte distribution width (RDWc, %), than athletes who trained endurance performance, as well as by a 15.4 % (Р = 0.033) higher mean platelet volume.Athletes who predominantly trained speed performance had an increased erythrocyte mean corpuscular volume (MCV) by 4.6 % (Р = 0.0082), absolute (MID) and relative (MI) mixed number of monocytes, eosinophils and basophils by 172.9 % (Р = 0.0004) and 158.3 % (Р = 0.0002), respectively, than athletes who trained endurance performance.In athletes who trained strength performance, in contrast to athletes who trained speed performance, significantly higher red blood cell indicators were detected: absolute number of erythrocytes by 7.6 % (Р = 0.040); haemoglobin content by 8.0 % (Р = 0.032); mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration by 6.4 % (Р = 0.025); RDWc by 5.7 % (Р = 0.006) with a decrease of 5.9 % (Р = 0.001) in MCV.Conclusions. Mobilization of the blood oxygen transport function in response to physical activity in athletes, who mainly trained strength performance, was accomplished through the increasing erythrocyte count, hemoglobin content and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration with the decreasing erythrocyte mean corpuscular volume. Athletes who predominantly trained speed performance showed the downward changes in erythrocyte count, hemoglobin content, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (within the reference values) and increased erythrocyte mean corpuscular volume. In athletes who mainly trained endurance performance, the erythrocyte population was medium– sized with medium level of mean corpuscular hemoglobin.