The Effects of Carbohydrate Supplementation on Leukocyte and Lymphocyte Responses to Multiple Resistance Training Bouts

Abstract

The acute immune responses to resistance training are not well understood and most studies examining these responses have only considered one bout of exercise. To the authors knowledge there are no studies examining the immune response to two training bouts performed on the same day. PURPOSE: The primary purpose of this investigation was to compare the acute immune responses between carbohydrate (CHO) and placebo (PLC) beverages that were consumed before, during and after multiple sets of resistance exercise performed during two sessions on a given training day. METHODS: Six men (mean±SEM; age: 24.3±2.1 y; height: 176.9±1.6 cm; body mass: 82.6±2.8kg) who could squat a minimum of 150% body mass participated in a randomized counterbalanced double-blind protocol separated by at least 7 days. A morning training (AM) session consisting of 5 sets of 5 repetitions of back squats (65% of 1 repetition maximum [RM]), 1-legged squats (45% of 1 RM) and speed squats (10% of 1 RM) and an afternoon session consisting of sets of 10 reps of back squats performed with 55% of 1 RM to exhaustion (PM). All sets were separated by 3 minutes of recovery. A CHO supplement consisting of 0.3 g.kg body mass-1 or PLC was consumed during the AM, during 4 hours of recovery, and during the PM session. Blood samples were taken in the morning (REST), before and immediately after the AM session, before, immediately after, 1 hour after, and 2 hours after the PM session. RESULTS: There were no statistical differences between the CHO and PLC treatments for leukocyctes, monocyctes, neutrophils, eosinophils, and lymphocyctes. Neutrophil, monocyte lymphocyte, and total leukocycte counts were significantly elevated immediately after the AM training session when compared to REST. Immediately prior to the PM there was a significant elevation in total leukocyte, eosinophil, monocyte, and neutrophil counts when compared to REST. When comparing REST to the immediately post PM values the total leukocyte, eosinophil, neutrophil, monocyte, and lumphocyte counts were all significantly elevated. The total leukocycte, monocyte, and neutrophil counts were all significantly elevated 1hour and 2 hours post PM when compared to REST. CONCLUSIONS: The ingestion of CHO before, during and after multiple sets of resistance training performed during two daily sessions does not effect the total leukocycte or lymphocyte count.