Although there are various descriptive reports concerning exercise-induced gastrointestinal
distress, the role of gastrointestinal hormones and/or enzymes is not definitively
established. In this study we investigated the behaviour of pepsinogens (PCI and PGII)
after an endurance race performed at an altitude of 4,300 m by 13 well-trained marathon
runners, with the aim to establish their interrelationship with gastrointestinal distress
and with the modifications of gastrin and cortisol. The athletes showed a significant
rise in gastrin (p < 0.01) and in cortisol (p < 0.01) and a significant decrease in
PGI (p < 0.01) and PGII (p<0.05) after the race. The PGI/PGII ratio presented small
variations indicating that heavy exercise has less effects on PGs than those observed
for gastrin. Gastrointestinal symptoms occurred in 6 athletes (46 %) during the race
and in 8 athletes (62 %) after the race. No relationship was found between gastrointestinal
symptoms and hormonal modifications after the race. A control group of 5 subjects
was used: they (n = 5) did not show any significant modification of gastrin and PGs
during the period spent at the above altitude, indicating that travel, altitude and
acclimatization, food and beverages, do not influence the behaviour of these hormones.
Conversely, they presented a significant decrease of cortisol (p < 0.05) linked to
the circadian rhythm. The data of the present study indicate that the potential damage
of gastrointestinal apparatus in mountain marathon runners is not related to the above
mentioned hormones.
Key words
Pepsinogens - marathon - high altitude
