The changes of red blood cell viscoelasticity and sports anemia in male 24-hr ultra-marathoners.

Background: In endurance sports, stress, dehydration and release of chemical factors have been associated with red blood cell (RBC) alterations of structure and function, which may contribute to sports anemia, a well-observed phenomenon during long-distance running. Until now, the investigation of the changes of viscoelastic properties of RBC membrane, a decisive factor of RBC deformability to avoid hemolysis, is lacking, especially in an Oriental population.

Methods: nineteen runners were prospectively recruited into our study.