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. 2023 Dec 18;70(1):e20230778.
doi: 10.1590/1806-9282.20230778. eCollection 2023.

Effect of intensive training on immune system cells in elite female weightlifters

Mehmet Ali Karaselek  1 , Serkan Kuccukturk  2 , Tugce Duran  3
Affiliations

Effect of intensive training on immune system cells in elite female weightlifters

Mehmet Ali Karaselek et al. Rev Assoc Med Bras (1992). .

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effects of intense weightlifting training on lymphocyte and natural killer cell subgroups, which are the major cells of the immune system, in elite female weightlifters.

Methods: A total of 20 elite female weightlifters were evaluated using flow cytometry before training (pre-T), immediately after training (post-T), and after a 120-min rest period (rest-T).

Results: Post-T and rest-T showed significant decreases in helper T (Th) and cytotoxic T compared with pre-T (p=0.045, p<0.001 and p=0.05, p<0.001, respectively). B and natural killer cells were higher in post-T and rest-T than in pre-T. The increase in B cells was significant in pre-T/rest-T (p<0.001) but not in pre-T/post-T (p=0.122). Intense training significantly increased natural killer cells in both post-T and rest-T (p<0.001). CD56bright and CD56dim natural killer cell subgroups were significantly lower in post-T and rest-T than in pre-T (p=0.005, p=0.006 and p<0.001, p=0.004, respectively).

Conclusion: This study shows that intense weightlifting alters peripheral lymphocyte and natural killer subgroup ratios, being the first investigation in this field.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest: the authors declare there is no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Change in peripheral lymphocyte subgroups due to training.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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