PSYCHOLOGICAL AND IMMUNOLOGICAL CORRELATES OF ACUTE OVERTRAINING

Five men undertook two intensive interval training sessions per day fo r 10 days, followed by 5 days of active recovery. Subjects supplied a venous blood sample and completed a mood-state questionnaire on days 1 , 6, 11 and 16 of the study. Performance capabilities were assessed on days 1, 11 and 16 using a timed treadmill test to exhaustion at 18 km h(-1) and 1% grade. These individuals became acutely overtrained as i ndicated by significant reductions in running performance from day 1 t o day 11. The overtrained state was accompanied by severe fatigue, imm une system deficits, mood disturbance, physical complaints, sleep diff iculties, and reduced appetite. Mood states moved toward baseline duri ng recovery, but feelings of fatigue and immune system deficits persis ted throughout the study.