Citation Info

Int J Sports Med. 19(8):574-580. Available: www.gssiweb.org

Carbohyrdate supplementation and the lymphocyte proliferative response to long endurance running.

Henson DA, Nieman DC, Parker JC, Rainwater MK, Butterworth DE, Warren BJ, Utter A, Davis JM, Fagoaga OR, Nehlsen-Cannarella SL.

Abstract

This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study examined the influence of 6% carbohydrate ingestion on hormonal and lymphocyteproliferative responses (5 total samples over 9 hours) to 2.5 h of high-intensity running by 30 experienced marathon runners. The T-cell response differed between groups, with the placebo group exhibiting a greater increase immediately post-run and greater decrease at 3 h of recovery. No group differences were observed for Con A-, PHA-, or PWM-induced lymphocyte proliferation. However, when PHA was adjusted per T-cell, group differences were observed, highlighted by a decrease in the placebo group immediately post-run. Glucose and cortisol responses differed between groups, with glucose lower and cortisol higher in the placebo group immediately post-run. Post-run glucose correlated negatively with postrun cortisol (r=-0.670, P< 0.001) and epinephrine (r=-0.540, P=0.002). Post-run cortisol also correlated negatively with total lymphocytes and T-cells at 1.5 hours (r=-0.429, P=0.018 and r=-0.424, P=0.019, respectively) and 3 hours (r=-0.566, P=0.001 and r=-0.523, P=0.003, respectively) of recovery. The pre- to post-run change in glucose correlated to the same changes in PHA/T-cell (r=0.456, P=0.011). The data support an interactive effect of carbohydrate ingestion on plasma glucose and cortisol. The data support an interactive effect of carbohydrate ingestion on plasma glucose and cortisol, T-cell trafficking, and cell-adjusted PHA-induced lymphocyte proliferation following long endurance running.