Abstract

Objective: To examine the effect of downhill running on immunoglobulin responses.

Method: Eleven untrained men performed 2 × 60 minute bouts of downhill running (−13.5% gradient), at a speed eliciting 75% of their V̇o₂peak on a level grade. Two runs were spaced 14 days apart. Serum samples were collected before, after, and every hour for 12 hours and every 24 hours for six days. Serum total creatine kinase and immunoglobulin isotypes and subclasses were measured, and results were analysed using a repeated measures analysis of variance (12 hour period, 2 × 14; 24 hour intervals, 2 × 6, p⩽0.05).

Results: There was a significant interaction effect for creatine kinase (activity lower after run 2 than after run 1, 6–24 h) and exercise effect, with the serum concentrations of IgG1, IgG2, IgG4, and IgE lower, and IgM higher, after run 2.

Conclusion: Lower concentrations of IgG1, IgG2, and IgE after run 2 may reflect a dampened autoimmune inflammatory response to autoantigens and enhanced autoantigen clearance mediated by the upregulation of IgM.