24-hr urinary catecholamine excretion, training and performance in elite swimmers
D Atlaoui1, M Duclos, C Gouarne
1Laboratory of Physiology, PPEH (EA 3062), Faculty of Medicine Jean Monnet, Saint-Etienne, France. djamila.atlaoui@univ-st-etienne.fr
International Journal of Sports Medicine
|March 31, 2006
Summary
Urinary noradrenaline (NA) and adrenaline (Ad) levels, and their ratio, correlate with training load and performance in elite swimmers. These catecholamine levels may serve as valuable indicators for monitoring training stress.
Area of Science:
- Sports Science
- Biochemistry
- Exercise Physiology
Background:
- Training variations significantly impact physiological markers in athletes.
- Catecholamines, such as noradrenaline (NA) and adrenaline (Ad), are key indicators of stress and performance.
- Monitoring these markers can optimize training loads and prevent overtraining.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between training variations and 24-hour urinary catecholamine levels (NA and Ad) and the Ad/NA ratio in highly trained swimmers.
- To explore the connection between catecholamine excretion, training load, and athletic performance.
Main Methods:
- Fourteen elite swimmers underwent 4 weeks of intense training (IT), 3 weeks of reduced training (RT), and 5 weeks of low training (LT).
- 24-hour urinary samples were collected to measure noradrenaline (NA) and adrenaline (Ad) levels and the Ad/NA ratio.
- Swimmer performance was assessed after each training phase and expressed as a percentage of their previous season's best.
Main Results:
- Changes in NA levels during intense training (IT) were negatively correlated with training volume and total load.
- NA levels at the end of IT positively correlated with performance improvements during subsequent reduced training (RT).
- Ad/NA ratios and Ad levels showed significant relationships with both training variations and performance outcomes.
Conclusions:
- 24-hour urinary noradrenaline (NA) levels and the adrenaline/noradrenaline (Ad/NA) ratio are associated with training variations and performance in elite swimmers.
- These catecholamine markers may serve as effective tools for monitoring training stress and optimizing performance in swimmers.
- Understanding catecholamine responses to training can aid in personalized training program design.
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