Resumen de Total Hemoglobin Mass, Iron Status, and Endurance Capacity in Elite Field Hockey Players

Timo Hinrichs, Julia Franke, Sven C. Voss, Wilhelm Bloch, Wilhelm Schänzer, Petra Platen

• The aims of this study were as follows: To evaluate total hemoglobin mass (tHbmass) in international field hockey players; to examine the correlation between tHbmass and maximum oxygen uptake ([latin capital V with dot above]O2max); and to assess influences of iron status on tHbmass and on [latin capital V with dot above]O2max. The players of the German women's (N = 17, aged 24.8 ± 3.0 [21-31] years) and men's (N = 17, aged 24.2 ± 2.9 [19-32] years) national field hockey team were investigated. tHbmass was measured by an optimized carbon monoxide rebreathing method. The following parameters were measured in venous blood: Hemoglobin concentration (Hbconc), hematocrit (Hct), number and percentage of reticulocytes, reticulocyte hemoglobin content, serum iron, serum ferritin, serum transferrin, unsaturated iron-binding capacity, and serum soluble transferrin receptor concentration. [latin capital V with dot above]O2max was determined in a treadmill test. tHbmass (women: 10.6 ± 1.1 g/kg; men: 12.5 ± 0.9 g/kg) correlated to [latin capital V with dot above]O2max (women: 46.6 ± 2.9 mL/min/kg; men: 55.8 ± 4.0 mL/min/kg) in women (r = 0.56, p < 0.05) and in men (r = 0.57, p < 0.05), whereas Hbconc and Hct did not. The investigated parameters of iron status showed no association to tHbmass or to [latin capital V with dot above]O2max. In conclusion, tHbmass can be used as an indicator for endurance capacity in elite field hockey players, whereas Hbconc may not. tHbmass or [latin capital V with dot above]O2max were not influenced by the actual iron status of the investigated athletes.