Background: Fatigue and impaired performance in athletes is well recognised and has been loosely linked to "overtraining". Reduced concentration of IgA in the saliva and increased shedding of Epstein Barr virus (EBV) have been associated with intense training in elite athletes. Objective: To determine whether athletes presenting with fatigue and impaired performance had an immune defect relevant to defective containment of EBV infection, and whether a probiotic preparation (Lactobacillus acidophilus) shown to enhance mucosal immunity in animal models could reverse any detected abnormality. Results: The fatigued athletes had clinical characteristics consistent with re-activation of EBV infection and significantly (p = 0.02) less secretion of interferon (IFN) γ from blood CD4 positive T cells. After one month of daily capsules containing 2 x 1010 colony forming units of L acidophilus, secretion of IFN γ from T cells had increased significantly (p = 0.01) to levels found in healthy control athletes. A significant (p = 0.03) increase in salivary IFN γ concentrations in healthy control athletes after the one month course of L acidophilus demonstrated in man the capacity for this probiotic to enhance the mucosal IFN γ concentration. Conclusion: This is the first evidence of a T cell defect in fatigued athletes, and of its reversal following probiotic therapy.
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机译:背景:运动员的疲劳和成绩下降已得到公认,并且与“过度训练”有松散的联系。唾液中IgA浓度的降低和爱泼斯坦巴尔病毒(EBV)的脱落增加与精英运动员的严格训练有关。目的:确定表现出疲劳和表现受损的运动员是否存在与遏制EBV感染缺陷有关的免疫缺陷,以及在动物模型中显示出增强粘膜免疫力的益生菌制剂(嗜酸乳杆菌)是否可以逆转任何检测到的异常。结果:疲倦的运动员的临床特征与EBV感染的重新激活相一致,并且血液CD4阳性T细胞中干扰素(IFN)γ的分泌显着减少(p = 0.02)。每日服用含有2 x 1010个嗜酸乳杆菌菌落形成单位的胶囊一个月后,T细胞分泌的IFNγ显着增加(p = 0.01)至健康对照运动员的水平。嗜酸乳杆菌治疗一个月后,健康对照运动员的唾液中IFNγ浓度显着增加(p = 0.03),这证明了该益生菌具有增强粘膜IFNγ浓度的能力。结论:这是疲劳运动员中T细胞缺陷的初步证据,是益生菌治疗后T细胞缺陷逆转的证据。
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