Training status and sex influence on senescent T-lymphocyte redistribution in response to acute maximal exercise.

PURPOSE: Investigate training status and sex effects on the redistribution of senescent and naïve T-lymphocytes following acute exercise. METHODS: Sixteen (8 male, 8 female) trained (18.3±1.7yr) soccer players (Tr) and sixteen (8 male, 8 female) untrained (19.3±2.0yr) controls (UTr) performed a treadmill running test to volitional exhaustion. Blood lymphocytes were isolated before (Pre), immediately post, and 1-h post-exercise for assessment of cell surface expression of CD28 and CD57 on CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-lymphocyte subsets. Plasma was used to determine cytomegalovirus (CMV) serostatus. RESULTS: Exercise elicited a redistribution of T-lymphocyte subsets. Senescent CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-lymphocytes increased by 42.4% and 45.9% respectively, while naïve CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-lymphocytes decreased by 8.7% and 22.5% respectively in response to exercise. A main effect (P<0.05) of training status was observed for senescent CD4(+), CD8(+) and naïve CD8(+) T-lymphocytes: UTr had a higher proportion of senescent and a lower proportion of naïve CD8(+) T-lymphocytes than Tr. A main effect (P<0.05) of sex was observed in senescent CD4(+), CD8(+) and naïve CD4(+), CD8(+) T-lymphocytes. Males had a higher proportion of senescent and lower proportion of naïve T-lymphocytes than females. A sex-by-training status interaction (P<0.05) was observed for the senescent and naïve CD4(+) T-lymphocytes (but not CD8(+)) with the highest percentage of senescent and lowest percentage of naïve T-lymphocytes observed in UTr males. CMV exerted a significant main covariate effect (P<0.05) in the senescent and naïve (P<0.05) CD8(+) T-lymphocytes but not in the senescent and naïve CD4(+) T-lymphocytes. CONCLUSION: This study highlights important sex and training status differences in the senescent and naïve T-lymphocyte redistribution in response to exercise that warrants further investigation.

A 6-month analysis of training-intensity distribution and physiological adaptation in Ironman triathletes.

In the present study, we analysed the training-intensity distribution and physiological adaptations over a 6-month period preceding an Ironman triathlon race. Ten athletes (mean ± s: age 43 ± 3 years, mass 78.3 ± 10.3 kg, stature 1.79 ± 0.05 m) participated in the study. The study consisted of three training periods (A, B, C), each of approximately 2 months' duration, and four testing weeks. Testing consisted of incremental tests to exhaustion for swimming, cycling and running, and assessments for anthropometry plus cardiovascular and pulmonary measures. The lactate threshold and the lactate turnpoint were used to demarcate three discipline-specific, exercise-intensity zones. The mean percentage of time spent in zones 1, 2, and 3 was 69 ± 9%, 25 ± 8%, and 6 ± 2% for periods A-C combined. Only modest physiological adaptation occurred throughout the 6-month period, with small to moderate effect sizes at best. Relationships between the training volume/training load and the training-intensity distribution with the changes in key measures of adaptation were weak and probably reflect differences in initial training status. Our results suggest that the effects of intensity distribution are small over short-term training periods and future experimental research is needed to clarify the potential impact of intensity distribution on physiological adaptation.

Six weeks of a polarized training-intensity distribution leads to greater physiological and performance adaptations than a threshold model in trained cyclists.

This study was undertaken to investigate physiological adaptation with two endurance-training periods differing in intensity distribution. In a randomized crossover fashion, separated by 4 wk of detraining, 12 male cyclists completed two 6-wk training periods: 1) a polarized model [6.4 (±1.4 SD) h/wk; 80%, 0%, and 20% of training time in low-, moderate-, and high-intensity zones, respectively]; and 2) a threshold model [7.5 (±2.0 SD) h/wk; 57%, 43%, and 0% training-intensity distribution]. Before and after each training period, following 2 days of diet and exercise control, fasted skeletal muscle biopsies were obtained for mitochondrial enzyme activity and monocarboxylate transporter (MCT) 1 and 4 expression, and morning first-void urine samples were collected for NMR spectroscopy-based metabolomics analysis. Endurance performance (40-km time trial), incremental exercise, peak power output (PPO), and high-intensity exercise capacity (95% maximal work rate to exhaustion) were also assessed. Endurance performance, PPOs, lactate threshold (LT), MCT4, and high-intensity exercise capacity all increased over both training periods. Improvements were greater following polarized rather than threshold for PPO [mean (±SE) change of 8 (±2)% vs. 3 (±1)%, P < 0.05], LT [9 (±3)% vs. 2 (±4)%, P < 0.05], and high-intensity exercise capacity [85 (±14)% vs. 37 (±14)%, P < 0.05]. No changes in mitochondrial enzyme activities or MCT1 were observed following training. A significant multilevel, partial least squares-discriminant analysis model was obtained for the threshold model but not the polarized model in the metabolomics analysis. A polarized training distribution results in greater systemic adaptation over 6 wk in already well-trained cyclists. Markers of muscle metabolic adaptation are largely unchanged, but metabolomics markers suggest different cellular metabolic stress that requires further investigation.