Related Experiment Videos
Creatine kinase elevations in marathon runners: relationship to training and competition
The Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine
|July 1, 1980
Summary
Endurance running, like marathons, elevates creatine kinase (CK) levels, indicating muscle strain. Faster runners showed higher post-race CK, suggesting an inverse relationship between CK elevation and marathon finishing times.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Exercise Physiology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Creatine kinase (CK) elevation post-exertion reliably indicates skeletal muscle injury.
- Data on CK levels in conditioned athletes after endurance events are limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate serum CK levels in long-distance runners following a marathon.
- To explore the relationship between CK levels and marathon performance.
Main Methods:
- Serum CK was measured using a kinetic UV method (normal < 100 U/L).
- Measurements were taken pre-race, 24 hours post-race, and four weeks post-race in 15 long-distance runners.
- Runners were categorized by finishing times (sub/post 3.5 hours).
Main Results:
- CK levels remained elevated throughout the study period.
- Significantly higher post-race CK levels were observed in faster runners compared to slower runners (p = 0.025).
- Post-marathon CK elevations showed an inverse relationship with finishing times.
Conclusions:
- Marathon running leads to sustained elevations in serum CK.
- Faster marathon runners exhibit greater post-race CK elevations, inversely correlating with performance.
- CK levels can serve as an indicator of skeletal muscle stress in endurance athletes.