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The effects of carbohydrate ingestion during endurance running on post-exercise inflammation and hepcidin levels

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Abstract

The effect of carbohydrate (CHO) consumption during prolonged endurance running on post-exercise inflammation and hepcidin levels was investigated. Eleven well-trained male endurance athletes completed a graded exercise test, followed by two experimental running trials in a randomized order. The two experimental trials consisted of a 90 min run at 75% of the peak oxygen uptake velocity (vVO2peak), while consuming a solution with either 6% CHO or a placebo (PLA) equivalent at 3 ml kg−1 every 20 min. Serum interleukin-6 (IL-6), free hemoglobin (Hb), haptoglobin (Hp), hepcidin and iron parameters were assessed throughout the post-run recovery period. Serum iron and IL-6 were significantly elevated immediately post-run in both CHO and PLA (p ≤ 0.05), with no differences between trials. Serum-free Hb increased and Hp decreased significantly immediately post-run in both conditions (p ≤ 0.05). Serum soluble transferrin receptor levels were significantly below the baseline at 3 and 24 h post-run in both conditions (p ≤ 0.05). Serum hepcidin concentration recorded 3 h post-run in both conditions was significantly elevated (p ≤ 0.05), and had returned to the baseline by 24 h post-run (p ≤ 0.05). The use of a 6% CHO solution at 3 ml kg−1 20 min−1 during endurance running did not attenuate the inflammatory response and subsequent increase in serum hepcidin levels during the post-run recovery period.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to acknowledge the grant funding received from the Fremantle Hospital Medical Research Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Sport Science, Exercise and Health, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Hwy, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia

    Marc Sim, Brian Dawson, Grant Landers & Peter Peeling

  2. Western Australian Institute of Sport, Mt Claremont, WA, Australia

    Peter Peeling

  3. Department of Clinical Chemistry, Radbound University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    Erwin T. Wiegerinck & Dorine W. Swinkels

  4. Fremantle Hospital Pathology Laboratory, Pathwest, Fremantle, WA, Australia

    Mary-Anne Townsend

  5. School of Medicine and Pharmacology, The University of Western Australia, Fremantle, WA, Australia

    Debbie Trinder

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  1. Marc Sim
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  2. Brian Dawson
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  4. Erwin T. Wiegerinck
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  5. Dorine W. Swinkels
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  7. Debbie Trinder
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  8. Peter Peeling
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Correspondence to Marc Sim.

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Communicated by Susan A. Ward.

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Sim, M., Dawson, B., Landers, G. et al. The effects of carbohydrate ingestion during endurance running on post-exercise inflammation and hepcidin levels. Eur J Appl Physiol 112, 1889–1898 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-011-2156-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-011-2156-0

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