Differences in Immune Response During Competition and Preparation Phase in Elite Rowers

Area of Science:

• Exercise Physiology
• Immunology
• Biomedical Science

Background:

• Olympic rowers face significant metabolic stress during training and competition.
• Biomedical markers are needed to quantify training load at the molecular level.
• This study investigates inflammatory and immunologic variables to identify such markers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify molecular-level biomedical markers for quantifying training load in elite rowers.
• To analyze inflammatory and immunologic responses to high (competition) versus low (preparation) training loads.
• To explore the role of immune cell activation and cytokine profiles in response to training stress.

Main Methods:

• Eleven elite male rowers were monitored during competition (COMP) and preparation (PREP) phases.
• Assessed perceived stress and recovery using the RESTQ-76 Sport questionnaire.
• Evaluated immune cell activation (DC, macrophage, monocyte, T-cells) and measured cytokines, HMGB1, cfDNA, CK, UA, and KYN in blood samples.

Main Results:

• Rowers reported higher general stress and lower recovery during COMP.
• Immune cells (DC/macrophage/monocyte, T-reg cells) and biomarkers of tissue damage (HMGB1, cfDNA) increased during COMP.
• Pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-8) were elevated, while anti-inflammatory IL-10 was lower during COMP.

Conclusions:

• Competition phase in elite rowers leads to increased tissue damage markers and immune cell activation.
• Anti-inflammatory mechanisms, including T-regulatory cell proliferation, may compensate for immune activation.
• An anti-inflammatory and immunological matrix approach is proposed for optimizing training load quantification in elite athletes.