Walking, running, or a marathon to track blood clotting and inflammation changes in healthy adults

The purpose of this study is to detail the precise temporal changes in the APR that occur in response to exercise in order to determine the types of exercise that confer maximal reparative fibrinolysis. Published research and preliminary studies conducted in our lab suggest that different types of exercise will preferentially activate fibrinolysis over coagulation, thereby promoting improved global tissue health [8]. As such, measuring markers of the APR in healthy individuals 1) at rest, 2) walking (light intensity exercise), 3) running (moderate intensity exercise), and 4) following endurance running (a marathon) will allow us to establish a baseline for the temporal changes in the APR that avoid activation of the procoagulant survival phase while maximizing the repair phase.

Specific aims

1. To measure the acute phase response fibrinolysis, plasminogen consumption, and inflammatory profiles of healthy individuals before and after graded exercise (at rest, light intensity, medium intensity) and after prolonged exercise at medium intensity as defined by changes in fibrinolysis, plasminogen consumption, and inflammatory response. 2. To track the APR through modulated exercise in order to determine the type of exercise that enhances physiologic benefit and limits harm.