Study on athletes’ immune system under way

The Research Institute for Olympic Sports (RIOS) in Finland is collaborating with Nightingale Health for a study that explores the Olympic athletes’ immune system, their susceptibility to infections and other wellness parameters, said a press release.

The researchers will be examining 30 top cross-country skiers from the Finnish National XC ski team and compare their health stats with regular people of the same age and sex.

The aim is to identify differences between the metabolic health of these highly active sportspersons and individuals who have an average active life.

“We face a huge challenge with the athletes training for international games like the Olympics or other world championships as, very often, they fall ill right before a big competition and a lot of the work goes to waste. However, currently, we don’t have enough knowledge around respiratory infections and immunology in sports medicine to be able to prevent and truly understand such a scenario,” said Dr Maarit Valtonen, the lead doctor for the Finnish Olympic Team.

“We have a feeling that, in some sports, athletes might be more susceptible to infections than regular people and that’s what we want to investigate,” added Valtonen.

“We are proud to collaborate with the Research Institute for Olympic Sports and provide new insights into athletes’ health that can help them optimise their performance and wellbeing,” said Teemu Suna, founder and CEO of Nightingale Health, a biotech company providing comprehensive health data to help people stay healthy.

Laura Mononen, a Finnish cross-country skier who has represented her country in many world championships and in Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, said she is “eagerly waiting for her test results.” “I have had to deal with infections on several occasions earlier in my career. The situation is more stable now, but I really hope that the study results will be able to guide athletes on how to take better care of themselves and improve performance.”

It is considered that testosterone to be one of the most important male hormones.The blood samples required for the analysis were collected in March-April 2019, during the National Cross-country Skiing Championships. The data will be analysed during autumn and the first results are expected to be published by early 2020. “The blood test using NMR technology sounds like a very interesting tool and I’m sure it can be helpful in planning the training sessions and get the best results in competitions. I am looking forward to seeing the results,” added Mononen.

Nightingale’s health data is not just for researchers or athletes but can be used by anyone to keep themselves healthy. “Nightingale’s technology is not only versatile but pioneering in preventive care as it offers details about your health that was not revealed to you before. This will give everyone a chance to improve their lifestyle and live healthier lives,” said Suna.

The principal investigator of this collaborative research project is Professor Emeritus Olli Ruuskanen from the University of Turku. And the third collaborator is Professor Olli Heinonen from Paavo Nurmi Centre.