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Completed

NCT Number: NCT06201052

Impact of Exercise on Immune System and Metabolism in Football Players

Physical exercise, especially of high intensity, is a significant burden to the athlete's body. It should be emphasized that achieving high results in competitive sports requires significant, sometimes extreme, exercise loads during training, which may result in homeostasis disorders, adversely affecting athletes' fitness. Intense and prolonged physical exercise elevates reactive oxygen species, potentially impacting immune function. The mechanism, particularly in high-intensity activities, remains incompletely understood. Excessive oxygen radicals may induce metabolic changes, causing rapid erythrocyte damage and elevated redox-active free iron. This iron increase can be harmful, increasing oxidative stress and immune system activation. The sustained negative impact that may be observed even during post-workout recovery needs further exploration.

"This study aims to explain the impact of an intense exercise test on the immune system, pro-antioxidant balance, and iron metabolism in athletes with varying training levels. The primary questions it seeks to address are:

1. How do athletes' experience and training background influence the immune system's response, pro-antioxidant balance, and iron regulation? 2. Can the level of adaptation to physical exercise (training status) affect the rate of regeneration and the time required to return to pre-exercise homeostasis?"

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Key information

Conditions

Healthy

Age range

22 year–37 year

Sex eligibility

Male

Study type

Observational

Primary location

Poznań University of Physical Education

Poznan, 61-871, Poland

About this study

The study included 40 football players (19 juniors and 21 seniors). The average training experience for junior players was 8.37 years, and for the senior group, it was 16.4 years. All athletes underwent the Multistage 20-meter shuttle run test (Beep Test). Players were informed about the test procedures and additionally motivated by the trainer to exert maximum effort. Each attempt was preceded by a warm-up, consisting of a 5-minute low-intensity jog. The Beep Test was supervised by the Team trainer using a program as a monitoring tool to examine changes in the level of cardio-respiratory fitness across all age groups. Blood samples were collected at rest, before the exercise test, then 1 minute after the end of the exercise test, after 3 hours of recovery, and finally, after 24 hours. Blood was drawn from the antecubital vein, with 12 ml collected each time.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Competitive football training for at least 3 years
  • Male
  • Not taking any medications throughout the study
  • Provide voluntary consent for participation in the study

Exclusion criteria

  • Any healthy problems

Treatment and study plan

Exercise test

Other

Beep Test for measuring aerobic power

Primary outcomes

  1. Changes in iron level

    Time frame: At rest (before the exercise test), 1 minute after the end of the test, after 3 hours, and 24 hours of recovery.

    marker of iron management

  2. Changes in UIBC (unsaturated iron-binding capacity)

    Time frame: At rest (before the exercise test), 1 minute after the end of the test, after 3 hours, and 24 hours of recovery.

    marker of iron management

  3. Changes in TIBC (total iron-binding capacity)

    Time frame: At rest (before the exercise test), 1 minute after the end of the test, after 3 hours, and 24 hours of recovery.

    marker of iron management

  4. Changes in hepcidin

    Time frame: At rest (before the exercise test), 1 minute after the end of the test, after 3 hours, and 24 hours of recovery.

    marker of iron management

  5. Changes in lactoferrin

    Time frame: At rest (before the exercise test), 1 minute after the end of the test, after 3 hours, and 24 hours of recovery.

    marker of iron management

  6. Changes in IL-6 (interleukin-6)

    Time frame: At rest (before the exercise test), 1 minute after the end of the test, after 3 hours, and 24 hours of recovery.

    marker of immune system

  7. Changes in IL-10 (interleukin-10)

    Time frame: At rest (before the exercise test), 1 minute after the end of the test, after 3 hours, and 24 hours of recovery.

    marker of immune system

  8. Changes in TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor-alpha)

    Time frame: At rest (before the exercise test), 1 minute after the end of the test, after 3 hours, and 24 hours of recovery.

    marker of immune response

  9. Changes in tryptophan

    Time frame: At rest (before the exercise test), 1 minute after the end of the test, after 3 hours, and 24 hours of recovery.

    marker of immune response

  10. Changes in IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor 1)

    Time frame: At rest (before the exercise test), 1 minute after the end of the test, after 3 hours, and 24 hours of recovery.

    marker of hormonal response

  11. Changes in testosterone

    Time frame: At rest (before the exercise test), 1 minute after the end of the test, after 3 hours, and 24 hours of recovery.

    marker of hormonal response

  12. Changes in cortisol

    Time frame: At rest (before the exercise test), 1 minute after the end of the test, after 3 hours, and 24 hours of recovery.

    marker of hormonal response

  13. Changes in serotonin

    Time frame: At rest (before the exercise test), 1 minute after the end of the test, after 3 hours, and 24 hours of recovery.

    marker of neurohormonal response

  14. Changes in myoglobin

    Time frame: At rest (before the exercise test), 1 minute after the end of the test, after 3 hours, and 24 hours of recovery.

    marker of muscle damage

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Poznan University of Physical Education

Other

Collaborators

  • Nicolaus Copernicus University

Registry information

Official study title

The Influence of Physical Exercise on Chosen Parameters of the Immune System, Prooxidant-Antioxidant Balance, and Iron Metabolism in Football Players With Various Training Levels

Acronym: IEISM

Important dates

Study start
2017
Primary completion
2018
Study completion
2018
First posted
Jan 11, 2024
Registry last updated
Jul 10, 2024

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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