Evaluation of maximal exercise performance, fatigue, and depression in athletes with acquired chronic training intolerance.

OBJECTIVE

This study compared differences in maximal strength and aerobic capacity and symptoms of fatigue and depression in athletes with acquired training intolerance (ATI) and control athletes (CON) matched for age and current training volume who did not have symptoms of excessive or chronic fatigue associated with their sporting activity.

SETTING

University of Cape Town, Sports Science Institute of South Africa.

PARTICIPANTS

Twenty ATI and 10 CON athletes participated in the trial. Although the ATI athletes reported symptoms of excessive fatigue during exercise, or symptoms of fatigue that occurred at rest and during activities of daily living, they did not fulfill the criteria for a diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

A training and comprehensive medical history was recorded from all subjects. The Beck Depression Inventory Short Form (BDI-SF) was used to assess levels of depression in both ATI and control subjects. Maximal force output during a 5-second isometric voluntary knee extensor muscle contraction, and maximal aerobic capacity (VO2max), maximal heart rate (HRmax), and maximal blood lactate concentrations during a treadmill running test were measured in all subjects.

RESULTS

There were no differences in maximal isometric force output, peak treadmill running speed, VO2max, HRmax, or blood lactate concentration at rest or after maximal exercise testing between the ATI and CON athletes. However, the BDI-SF scores were higher in the ATI (7.7 +/- 6.6 arbitrary units) than in the CON athletes (1.7 +/- 1.5 arbitrary units; (P = 0.0052).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that the symptoms of excessive fatigue and acquired training intolerance described by these ATI athletes do not affect their maximal isometric and maximal aerobic capacity, and may be associated with psychologic depression in these athletes.