Training, Immunity, and Health in Elite Kayaking: A Longitudinal Study Monitoring a World-Class Marathon Paddler with Exercise-Induced Bronchoconstriction
This case study of an elite marathon kayaker revealed transient immune fluctuations across a competitive season, including early immunosuppression (low neutrophils, CD4+/CD8+ ratio 0.50, and minimal CD19+ B cells) followed by partial recovery mid- and late-season. Despite persistently inverted CD4+/CD8+ ratios suggesting chronic immune dysregulation, the athlete maintained competitive performance, highlighting the temporary nature of these changes and emphasizing that regular immune monitoring can help optimize health and performance in elite athletes.
Authors
- Rodrigo Zacca (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0494-0000)
- Tiago Azenha Rama (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0134-617X)
- Liliana C. Baptista (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3534-1839)
- Ana Isabel Padrão (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2359-6321)
- José Augusto Rodrigues dos Santos (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6628-1410)
Institutions
- Universidade do Porto (PT)
- Hospital de São João (PT)
- Universidad Adventista de Chile (CL)
- University of Coimbra (PT)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Sports
- Published
- 2025-11-07
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/sports13110401
- Primary Topic
- Exercise and Physiological Responses
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00