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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 6, 2026

Evaluation of Blood Lactate and Plasma Insulin During High-intensity Exercise by Antecubital Vein Catheterization

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Plasma IL-6 concentration during ultra-endurance exercise.

Linnea Wallberg¹, C Mikael Mattsson, Jonas K Enqvist

¹Åstrand Laboratory of Work Physiology, The Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences, Box 5626, SE-114 86 Stockholm, Sweden.

European Journal of Applied Physiology

|November 30, 2010

Summary

Exercise intensity, not duration, primarily drives Interleukin 6 (IL-6) elevation in ultra-endurance athletes exercising over 12 hours. Shorter exercise bouts show both factors contributing to IL-6 accumulation.

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Area of Science:

Exercise Physiology
Sports Science
Biochemistry

Background:

Interleukin 6 (IL-6) is a key cytokine involved in the inflammatory response to exercise.
Understanding the factors influencing IL-6 response during prolonged exercise is crucial for athlete health and performance.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the primary determinant (intensity vs. duration) of Interleukin 6 (IL-6) response during ultra-endurance exercise.
To compare IL-6 and TNF-α responses in laboratory-based and real-world ultra-endurance events.

Main Methods:

Two ultra-endurance protocols were employed: a 24-hour laboratory exercise at 60% VO(2max) and a 6-day Adventure Race at ~38% VO(2max).
Blood samples were collected to measure IL-6 and TNF-α levels at rest and at various time points during exercise.

Main Results:

In the 24-h protocol, IL-6 increased significantly up to 12 hours, with no further increase at 24 hours, indicating intensity as the main driver.
In the 6-day race, IL-6 increased by 24 hours but remained stable thereafter, supporting intensity over duration for prolonged exercise.
No elevation in TNF-α was observed in either protocol, suggesting a lack of systemic inflammation.

Conclusions:

For ultra-endurance exercise exceeding 12 hours, exercise intensity is the principal determinant of IL-6 response, not exercise duration.
Both exercise intensity and duration contribute to IL-6 accumulation during shorter exercise bouts.
Ultra-endurance athletes in these protocols did not exhibit systemic inflammation as indicated by stable TNF-α levels.