ULTRA-TRIATHLON-RELATED BLOOD-CHEMICAL AND ENDOCRINOLOGIC RESPONSES IN 9 ATHLETES

Background. Objective of this study was to get more insight in hematol ogy, biochemistry, and endocrinology of ultra-endurance exercise, to i mprove knowledge in this field, supplementation, and medical care of a ffected athletes. Methods. A large body of individual hematological, b iochemical, and endocrinological parameters was analyzed in the blood taken from ultra-athletes before and after completing the 1993 Colmar ultra triathlon covering 7.5 km swimming, 360 km cycling, and approxim ately 85 km running. Participants. Nine experienced ultra-athletes par ticipated in the study. A follow-up was not possible since the athlete s left Colmar within 24 hrs after the contest. Results. The athletes f inished the ultra-contest at rankings 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 18, 22, 23 in a total time between 23:38:53 and 27:54:30 hr:min:sec. Their final bo dy mass (68.6+/-1 kg) was significantly lower than at baseline (71.9+/ -4.2 kg). Non of the athletes made use of medical care. Data after thi s contest reflect mild hyponatremia, intravascular hemolysis, increase d triglyceride turnover, acute-phase reaction, hyperaldosteronemia 206 +/-1013 pmol.L-1), hypercortisolemia 971+/-486 nmol.L-1), hyper-growth -hormonemia (median 6.8 ng.ml(-1)), hypoinsulinemia, hypo-free-testost eronemia (42+/-17 pmol.L-1), protein catabolism, depressed testicular function, oliguria, and muscle cell leakage. Conclusions. In our opini on, data presented do not reflect any acute health risks in healthy at hletes who are well prepared and carefully supplied during such a cont est.