COMPARISON OF THE LEVEL OF IMMUNOREGULATORY CYTOKINES AND SOME ANTHROPOMETRIC PARAMETERS OF HIGHLY SKILLED ATHLETES

Abstract

Studies in serum concentrations of cytokines was performed in 103 high-ranked athletes from the sports different by energy consumption (bobsleigh and shooting sports). We have shown that the cytokine concentrations (IL-4 и IL-18) in bobsleigh sportsmen were sufficiently higher than in shooters. I.e., the IL-4 concentration was 1.5±0.9 pg/mL in bobsledders, and 0.45±0.23 pg/mL in shooters (р < 0.05). The IL-18 concentration was 467.5±155.2 pg/mL in bobsledders and 304.5±126.8 pg/mL in shooters. Meanwhile, the IL-6 and IL-10 in blood serum showed only a tendency for increase. The IFNγ concentration in bobsledders did not differ from similar parameters in shooters. When comparing the data in females, the IL-4 and IL-10 figures were 3.7-fold higher in bobsledders for IL-4, and 2.34-fold higher for IL-10, when compared to the shooters. Analysis of cytokines in blood of athletes with high energy consumption has shown significant fluctuations of the given parameters in athletes of both sexes. We have not revealed any correlations between the cytokine contents in blood serum and main anthropometric parameters (body muscle mass, body index mass, energy comsumption). Moreover, increased contents of the cytokines was found in bobsledders at more intensive physical loads. Hence, the energy consumption influences the cytokine state parameters. However, all the cytokine values in athletes are within population norms which may due to adaptation of the athletes for high loads which may be determined by, e.g., adequate usage of specialized sport food for their nutrition.

Keywords

• cytokines
• highly skilled athletes
• immunity
• body mass index