Exercise Leukocytosis With and Without Beta‐adrenergic Blockade

Exercise leukocytosis during standardized work has been demonstrated in eight male healthy test subjects. Mostly the leukocytosis was due to an increase in segmented neutrophils, to a minor degree an increase in lymphocytes. After propranolol (Inderalr̀) administration exercise results in practically no increase in neutrophil leukocytes or in lymphocytes. Exercise leukocytosis is concluded—at least partly—to be mediated by a beta‐receptor mechanism.