Saliva immunoglobulins in elite women rowers

Saliva immunoglobulins (sIgA, sIgG, and sIgM) and upper respiratory tract i nfection (URTI) rates were evaluated in 20 elite female rowers and 19 nonat hletes. Also, the influence of carbohydrate versus placebo beverage consump tion on saliva immunoglobulin responses to rowing training sessions was mea sured in 15 rowers and in 5 non-exercising rowers. Saliva samples were coll ected 1 day before, and 5-10 min and 1.5 h after rowing or rest. Pre-exerci se sIgA (but not sIgG or sIgM) concentration was 77% higher in the rowers c ompared to nonathletes (P < 0.001). Health records kept over 2 months revea led mean 5.2 (SEM 1.2) and 3.3 (SEM 1.1) days with URTI symptoms for the ro wers and controls, respectively. For all 39 subjects, and for the 20 rowers separately, no significant correlation was found between URTI symptoms or insulin, cortisol, and growth hormone concentrations and pre-exercise or ex ercise-related changes in saliva immunoglobulin concentrations or secretion rates. The patterns of change in saliva immunoglobulin concentration and s ecretion rate did not differ between the carbohydrate and placebo rowing tr ials, or between exercised and rested athletes. These data indicated an inc reased sIgA concentration in the Female elite rowers compared to the nonath letes, no association between saliva immunoglobulins and URTI, and no effec t of a normal 2-hour training session or carbohydrate ingestion on saliva i mmunoglobulin concentrations or secretion rates.