# Effects of training on white blood cell count



## Givemehills (Feb 6, 2005)

I had a physical and my bloodwork showed a low white blood cell count ; 4.2 where as the normal range is 4.8 to10.8 the NEU absolute was 1.7 , normal range is 1.8 to 7.7 Up to the point of the blood test I was doing about 6 hours a week with a little intensity oover the winter months. I averaged 8 to 12 hours a week last year with excellent fitness . I had one nasty cold over the winter ,but other than that it was a pretty healthy winter for me. Does endurance training have any effect on blood cell count? Anybody else have any experience with this. We're going to take another test just to see if it's still low before seeing a blood specialist


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## palewin (Mar 12, 2003)

*No answer, similar results*

I'd be interested in a knowledgable response as well. I've typically had white blood cell counts in the 4.2-4.6 range (low to low normal), and my periodic exams occur during the racing season (coincidence, not choice). Interestingly my red blood cell counts also fall in the low to low normal range, but my hematocrit comes out 45-47! (No EPO, I swear!) My doctor has done some extra liver function tests to rule out hepatitis, and then just gives up trying to understand what's driving the numbers, since everything else comes out normal. It never occurred to me that this could be endurance-athletics related - maybe, maybe not.


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## Hardy Cyclamens (Mar 21, 2005)

A google search, "wbc endurance athlete training" turns up 903 links. Most are about endurance training, not blood chem. But here's a good link and the text verbatum" 

www.medicdirectsport.com/athletictraining/

http://www.medicdirectsport.com/athletictraining/default.asp?step=4&pid=438

White Blood Cells

White blood cells (known as leukocytes) are the cellular part of the immune system and are very important in surveying the body for infection. They find, trap, neutralise and kill invading pathogens (micro-organisms capable of causing illness). There are many different types of white blood cells which have specific functions in protecting you against developing infections.

Endurance training causes the body to release hormones such as cortisol that can reduce the number and function of white blood cells in the blood. Cortisol is released when the body is stressed; it is known as a 'stress hormone' and your body perceives exercise as a stressor just as it does exams, moving house, redundancy, bereavement etc. Cortisol levels can become high for example, if your training has been particularly hard, you have been doing very long exercise sessions or many competitions, not eating enough carbohydrate at meals or during training, or having inadequate sleep.

If the total white blood cell count is high, it may be that you have not recovered properly from a training session or that you may have an infection of some kind. It is never advisable to train with a cold or infection of any kind; your body is fighting to keep you healthy, so don't stress it more; take a few days off training until the symptoms of illness have gone. In the long term, you will miss fewer days training by stopping training altogether during illness than keeping training and risk developing further complications such as Post-Viral fatigue and Overtraining Syndrome. These complications may stop you training completely for very long periods of time or ultimately force you to retire from your sport.


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## samh (May 5, 2004)

*wbc*

In my experience I had slighty low wb count like you,
it occurred same time after I started taking a psychiatric drug. After I stopped and re-tested, it came back to normal.
So if you're taking any optional medications, you might
stop and/or re-take your blood tests. 

I believe overtraining does stress the body; it could conceivably lower white blood cell (just a guess).
Thats why you shouldn't overtrain!


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