Effect of Prolonged Heavy Exercise on Renal Function and Urinary Protein Excretion

Abstract

Abstract The urinary proteins in normal men participating in an 85–kilometre ski race held in 1964 and 1965 were examined by electrophoresis, immunoelectrophoresis and gel filtration. The urinary escretion of protein, glucose, ribonuclease and α‐amino acid‐N was also studied. In conjunction With the 1965 race additional studies were made of urine flow, free water clearance, creatinine clearance sodium, phosphorus and potassium exeretion and examination of urinary sediment. There was a significant increase in total protein and albumin excretion during the race. The protein excretion varied considerably from one individual to another. In 9 subjects who participated in both years the protein excretion, and also the peremtage albumin found by electrophorcsis, showed a significant correlation between the two years. The excretion of glucose and α‐amino acids, which are freely filtrable in the glomerule, was not significantly changed. Sor was the exeretion of the low molecular wright protein, ribonuclease. which may be expected to be almost completely filtrable. This suggests that tubular reabsorption is mainly unchanged during exercise, but that glomerular prmirability for relatively large molecules is increased. Creatinine clearance decreased during the race. Urine flow and sodium exeretion decreased slightly during exercise. Potassium exeretion increased both during and after the ski race. Urinary sediment showed increased amounts of red and white cells, and hyalinc casts.