Acta clinica Croatica, Vol. 64. No. 2, 2025.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.20471/acc.2025.64.02.10
Changes of TSH, Immune, Inflammatory and Tumor Markers after Anaerobic Exercise in Elite Karate Athletes
Tihomir Vidranski
; Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
*
Valentina Vidranski
; Department of Clinical Chemistry, Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia
Tomislav Jukić
; Department of Clinical Chemistry, Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia; School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia; Faculty of Medicine, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
Exercise causes considerable changes in the number and function of immune cells
and hormones in circulation. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of training regime on immune
and inflammatory markers and parameters of complete blood count, thyroid function and tumor
markers, immediately after intense, mostly anaerobic training in elite karate athletes. There are no similar
studies that would determine changes in the concentration of tumor markers immediately after intense
exercise. Study population included seven elite trained athletes, members of the Croatian National Karate
Kata female team and Kata male team. Our data provided evidence that the white blood cell and
segmented neutrophil granulocyte counts were significantly decreased and lymphocytes significantly
increased with no major changes in interleukin-6 immediately after anaerobic exercise. We also noticed a
strong increase of thyrotropin and no significant change in the levels of tumor markers. It was concluded
that immune response and thyroid hormone status were in correlation with exercise duration and intensity.
According to our results, a larger study is needed to define the impact of training and interrelation
between sports and laboratory medicine as a perfect combination in terms of discovering new mechanisms
and biochemical strategies in training of elite athletes.
Keywords
Karate; Exercise; Blood cell count; Interleukin-6; Thyrotropin; Tumor marker
Hrčak ID:
337588
URI
Publication date:
30.6.2025.
Visits: 133 *