The Female Athlete

Abstract

There is a well-known association between improved endurance performance and lower cardiovascular risk, although the exact physiological mechanisms underlying this association have not been fully elucidated. To investigate this, 21 subjects completed a structured, 10- week, polarized and periodized running training program. Cardiovascular parameters were determined using lactate performance diagnostics, the salt-blood test (SBT)-mini as marker for the glycocalyx, and pulse wave analysis (PWA) at baseline and follow-up examinations. In addition, blood lipid and sugar levels, as well as blood pressure progression, were documented to provide information on the general health of the subjects.The main effects of the 10-week polarized and periodized running training were (i) an improvement in performance, (ii) reduced total and HDL cholesterol, (iii), lowered blood pressure, and (iv) a decrease in the augmentation index (p=0.012). For the entire cohort, the SBT mini values were not changed after the intervention. Interestingly, the improved vascular function correlated with greater performance gains for subjects under 45 yrs (r=-0.636; p=0.019 and r=-0.771; p=0.003). Here, we showed that polarized and periodized running training has positive effects on the vascular system, with the augmentation index being a suitable marker for early detection of vascular changes. Of note, only young subjects benefited from a greater increase in performance regarding vascular function. However, further investigations are needed to clarify whether this result is based on an age-dependent, longer regeneration time.Key Words: Physical Exercise, Glycocalyx, Pulse Wave Velocity, Cardiovascular Fitness