Recovery time affects immunoendocrine responses to a second bout of endurance exercise

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of different durations of rest between two bouts of exercise on immunoendocrine responses during and after the second bout of exercise. Nine endurance athletes participated in three 25-h trials: 1) complete bed rest (REST), 2) two bouts of exercise separated by 3 h of rest (SHORT), and 3) two bouts of exercise separated by 6 h of rest (LONG). Each cycle ergometer exercise bout lasted 75 min at 75% of maximal O(2) uptake. We observed a more pronounced increase in epinephrine, norepinephrine, adrenocorticotropic hormone, and cortisol, but not in growth hormone, and a larger neutrophilia and lymphocytopenia in connection with the second bout of exercise in trial SHORT compared with trial LONG. Lymphocyte activation was unaltered by the difference in rest protocol. In conclusion, a second bout of exercise elicited more pronounced change in neuroendocrine factors and leukocyte counts when preceded by 3 h of rest as opposed to 6 h of rest after the first bout of exercise.