Androgen responses to sprint exercise in young men

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a 6-month sprint training program on plasma androgens and catecholamine (CA) concentrations in response to a 6 s sprint in adolescent boys [training group (TG), n=6; control group (CG), n=6]. A 6 s-sprint test was performed on a cycle ergometer before and after training (Pre-T and Post-T, respectively). Plasma total testosterone (TT), bioavailable testosterone (BT), and CA concentrations were measured at rest, after a warm-up, immediately after a 6 s-sprint, and during the recovery (i. e. 5 and 20 min). After training period, plasma TT concentrations increased significantly at the end of the sprint and during the recovery in the TG. No effects for sampling times and period were observed in BT levels. Plasma TT concentrations after 5 min of recovery were positively correlated with the corresponding values of plasma lactate (La) concentrations and with post-6 s-sprint plasma adrenaline (A) concentrations (r=0.52; p<0.01 and r=0.61; p<0.01, respectively). These results suggest that sprint training increases plasma TT concentrations in response to sprint exercise in adolescent boys. Plasma A and plasma La concentrations increases in response to sprint exercise could be involved in this elevation of plasma TT concentrations.