Effect of 4-week High Intensity Training on Immune Function of Weight Lifters

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of high intensity training on serum testosterone, cortisol and immune function of weight lifters. 4-week intensive training was carried out. METHODS: The subjects of this experiment are 12 weight lifters. The training loads in the 4 weeks were set respectively around 75%, 80%, 80% and 85% of maximum heart rate of each subjects, training 5 days and a half each week. Strength training was on Tuesday afternoons and Thursday mornings, movement training in the other sessions. Subjects were training together and instructed by full-time coaches in the whole training process. Blood samples were drawn in the second week, before and after 4-week high intensity training. Serum testosterone, serum cortisol, hemoglobin and the percentage of lymphocyte subpopulations were determined. RESULTS: After 4- week high intensity training, T had a significant decrease compared with that before the training and that in the second week (P 0.05). T/C ratio had a significant decrease compared with that before the 4-week high intensity training (P 0.05). CD4/CD8 ratio had a significant decrease compared with that before the 4-week high intensity training (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: The high intensity training may result in a significant decrease of T, T/C ratio, CD4, CD4/CD8 ratio and hemoglobin. During sports training, T/C and CD4/CD8 ratio can be used for monitoring athletes' body functions, which is distinctively meaningful for determining and preventing over-fatigue of athletes. Index Terms - High intensity training, Testosterone; Cortisol, Hemoglobin, Immune function