Authors: Sandro Manuel Mueller Elmar Anliker Patrizia Knechtle Beat Knechtle Marco Toigo
Publish Date: 2013/06/09
Volume: 113, Issue: 9, Pages: 2343-2352
Abstract
Triathletes lose body mass during an Ironman triathlon However the associated body composition changes remain enigmatic Thus the purpose of this study was to investigate Ironmaninduced changes in segmental body composition using for the first time dualenergy Xray absorptiometry DXA and peripheral quantitative computed tomography pQCTBefore and after an Ironman triathlon segmental body composition and lower leg tissue mass areas and densities were assessed using DXA and pQCT respectively in eight nonprofessional male triathletes In addition blood and urine samples were collected for the determination of hydration statusBody mass decreased by 19 ± 08 kg This loss was due to 04 ± 03 and 14 ± 08 kg decrease in fat and lean mass respectively P 001 Calf muscle density was reduced by 193 ± 104 P 001 Hemoglobin hematocrit and plasma K+ remained unchanged while plasma Na+ P 005 urine specific gravity and plasma and urine osmolality increased P 001The loss in lean mass was explained by a decrease in muscle density as an indicator of glycogen loss and increases in several indicators for dehydration The measurement of body composition with DXA and pQCT before and after an Ironman triathlon provided exact values for the loss in fat and lean mass Consequently these results yielded more detailed insights into tissue catabolism during ultraendurance exercise
Keywords: