Objective: This study aimed to investigate the temporal effects of a 10-week high-intensity wrestling training program on salivary s-IgA concentration in young competitive wrestlers.
Methods: Wrestlers were allocated into an experimental group, which underwent a controlled, high-intensity training program (up to 85% heart rate reserve), and a control group. Saliva samples were collected at baseline (rest), after the first 5-week training program, after the second 5-week training program, and following a one-week recovery period to measure s-IgA concentration.
Results: The experimental and control groups were homogenous at baseline for all physiological and immunological measures. A significant decrease in s-IgA concentration was observed in the experimental group at the end of the first 5-week training program compared to both the control group and its own baseline (p<0.05). This suppression was transient, as s-IgA levels returned to levels not significantly different from the control group by the end of the second 5-week program. However, within-group analyses revealed persistent significant differences between the final training phase and the recovery period, indicating a prolonged immunogenic stressor.
Conclusion: A 10-week high-intensity wrestling training program elicits a biphasic mucosal immune response: an initial suppression followed by a subsequent adaptation. These findings underscore the dynamic plasticity of the immune system in athletes but also highlight a period of potential vulnerability at the mid-point of a training cycle. Exercise physiologists and coaches should incorporate phased recovery strategies to mitigate infection risk and support athlete health throughout prolonged intensive training.