Effects of endurance training on spirometric parameters in male long-distance runners

The aim of this study was to compare spirometric parameters between recreational male marathon runners (MR) and a control group (CG) representative of the male population of the Pomerania region to assess the association between endurance training and pulmonary function.

A total of 31 amateur MR and 82 men in the CG aged 35-66 years participated in this study. The CG represented the male population of the Pomerania region (Poland). The analysis included basic spirometric parameters: forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), Tiffeneau index (FEV1/FVC), and the potential confounding factors: body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), smoking status, and history of obstructive lung diseases.

Recreational MR demonstrated significantly higher FVC and FEV1 values than the CG, both in absolute values and as percentages of predicted values (p < 0.001). Mean FVC was 5.24 ± 0.68 L in MR and 4.58 ± 0.95 L in controls, whilst mean FEV1 was 4.14 ± 0.55 L and 3.55 ± 0.88 L, respectively. No significant differences were observed in the Tiffeneau index (FEV1/FVC), smoking status, or prevalence of obstructive lung diseases between the groups. Although anthropometric parameters differed between groups, they were not significantly associated with spirometric outcomes.

Recreational male MR demonstrated significantly higher FVC and FEV1 values than controls from the general male population. No significant differences were observed in the prevalence of obstructive airway disorders. Because of the relatively small sample size and cross-sectional design, the findings should be interpreted with caution. Further longitudinal studies are needed to better clarify the relationship between endurance training and pulmonary function.