Biphasic Response of Salivary Immunoglobulin A to a ۱۰-Week High-Intensity Wrestling Training Program

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the temporal effects of a ۱۰-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 ۸۵% heart rate reserve), and a control group. Saliva samples were collected at baseline (rest), after the first ۵-week training program, after the second ۵-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 ۵-week training program compared to both the control group and its own baseline (p<۰.۰۵). This suppression was transient, as s-IgA levels returned to levels not significantly different from the control group by the end of the second ۵-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 ۱۰-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.