Effects of training on exercise-induced muscle damage and interleukin 6 production

To address the question of whether the increased plasma concentration of in terleukin 6 (IL-6) following strenuous muscular work could be related to ex ercise-induced muscle damage, 5 moderately active male volunteers underwent two isokinetic exercise sessions in the eccentric mode, separated by a per iod of 3 weeks during which the subjects underwent five training sessions, Before training, exercise was followed by severe muscle pain (delayed-onset muscle soreness; DOMS), and by significant increases in plasma IL-6 level and serum myoglobin concentration (SMb) (P < 0.001). After training, postex ercise DOMS and SMb values were significantly lower than those measured bef ore training, There was no significant difference between plasma IL-6 level s measured at the same time points before and after training. We conclude t hat the hypothetical relationship between exercise-induced muscle damage an d increased postexercise levels of circulating IL-6 is not substantiated by the present results. (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.