ArticleBritish journal of sports medicine1999
The biochemistry of runners in a 1600 km ultramarathon.
Article in British journal of sports medicine, 1999. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 72 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
72 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 195 citations in OpenAlex.
- Acute Kidney Injury and Hyponatremia in Ultra-Trail Racing: A Systematic Review.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2022Pooled it
- Effects of carbohydrate and protein supplement strategies on endurance capacity and muscle damage of endurance runners: A double blind, controlled crossover trial.Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition · 2022Trial
- Comparison between cold water immersion therapy (CWIT) and light emitting diode therapy (LEDT) in short-term skeletal muscle recovery after high-intensity exercise in athletes--preliminary results.Lasers in medical science · 2011Trial
- Low prevalence of exercise-associated hyponatremia in male 100 km ultra-marathon runners in Switzerland.European journal of applied physiology · 2011Trial
- Effect of lemon verbena supplementation on muscular damage markers, proinflammatory cytokines release and neutrophils' oxidative stress in chronic exercise.European journal of applied physiology · 2011Trial
- Trial
- Musculoskeletal (Mal)adaptations in Response to a > 30 000-km Running Challenge.Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle · 2026Article
- (Ultra-)inflammation or adaptation? Comparison of different ultramarathon distances and their effect on the immune system.Frontiers in immunology · 2026Article
- Emerging Biomarkers for Early Detection and Prognosis of Liver Diseases.Current pharmaceutical design · 2026Review
- Pathophysiology and treatment of exercise-associated hyponatremia.Journal of endocrinological investigation · 2026Review
- Exercise-Associated Hyponatremia: Serum Sodium, Symptomatology, Severity, and Sport Specificity.Open access journal of sports medicine · 2025Review
- Serum parameters and energy balance during the Yukon Arctic Ultra: a multistage ultramarathon in Arctic conditions.Frontiers in nutrition · 2025Article
- Oxidative status alteration during aerobic-dominant mixed and anaerobic-dominant mixed effort in judokas.Heliyon · 2023Article
- The Effect of 13 Weeks Long-Distance Bicycle Riding on Inflammatory Response Indicators Related to Joint Cartilage and Muscle Damage.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- The Effect of Pressotherapy on Performance and Recovery in the Management of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Journal of clinical medicine · 2022Review
- 768-km Multi-Stage Ultra-Trail Case Study-Muscle Damage, Biochemical Alterations and Strength Loss on Lower Limbs.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- Cutting edge concepts: Does bilirubin enhance exercise performance?Frontiers in sports and active living · 2022Review
- Article
- Mountain Ultra-Marathon (UTMB) Impact on Usual and Emerging Cardiac Biomarkers.Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine · 2022Article
- Blood Biochemical Variables Found in Lidia Cattle after Intense Exercise.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2021Article
12 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveTo investigate biochemical changes related to muscle breakdown, hepatic damage, hyponatraemia, and a number of other variables in the serum of participants in a 1600 km ultramarathon run.
methodsBlood samples were obtained from nine participants (seven men, two women) in a 1600 km foot race before, after 4 and 11 days of running, and at the conclusion of the event. Samples were analysed by standard methods and results corrected, where appropriate, for changes in plasma volume.
resultsSignificant (p < 0.05) increases in the following variables were found during or at the conclusion of the event: plasma volume, sodium, chloride, urea, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyltransferase, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase, bilirubin, total protein, albumin, glucose, calcium, and phosphate. Significant (p < 0.05) decreases in the following variables were found during or at the conclusion of the event: globulin, uric acid, and cholesterol. No change occurred in serum potassium, bicarbonate, creatinine, and triglycerides.
conclusionA wide range of biochemical perturbations occur during ultramarathon running but a number of variables remain within normal limits despite severe physical stress. Large increases in plasma volume occur, and hyponatraemia is rare in events of this duration. The time course of increases in enzymic indicators of muscle damage indicates that duration of running is not the sole determinant of such increases. This study provides indirect evidence of possible hepatic damage during prolonged exercise and an increase in serum calcium both of which warrant further investigation.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.