Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2014 Jan;37(1):13-24.
doi: 10.1007/s40618-013-0006-0. Epub 2014 Jan 8.

Testosterone responses to standardized short-term sub-maximal and maximal endurance exercises: issues on the dynamic adaptive role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis

P Sgrò  1 , F Romanelli, F Felici, M Sansone, S Bianchini, C F Buzzachera, C Baldari, L Guidetti, F Pigozzi, A Lenzi, L Di Luigi
Affiliations

Testosterone responses to standardized short-term sub-maximal and maximal endurance exercises: issues on the dynamic adaptive role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis

P Sgrò et al. J Endocrinol Invest. 2014 Jan.

Abstract

Background: Few and conflicting data on the acute adaptive role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular (HPT) axis to sub-maximal endurance exercise exist.

Aims: To investigate the acute HPT axis responses to standardized endurance exercises in a laboratory setting and the correlations between testosterone and classic adaptive hormones variations.

Subjects and methods: 12 healthy male volunteers were recruited for this experimental study. Serum PRL, GH, ACTH, LH, cortisol, DHEAS, testosterone [total (TT), calculated free (cFT) and bioavailable (cBioT)], SHBG, and respective ratios, were evaluated before and after a 30-min sub-maximal exercise on cycle ergometer at individual anaerobic threshold (IAT) and a maximal exercise until exhaustion. Blood samples were collected before exercise (30, 15 min and immediately before), immediately after and at different time points during recovery (+15, +30 and +60 min) for hormones assays. Oxygen consumption and lactate concentration were evaluated.

Results: Testosterone (TT, cFT and cBioT) acutely increased in all volunteers after both exercises. Testosterone increased in parallel to GH after both exercises and to cortisol only after maximal exercise. Differently from other increased hormones, testosterone increases were not correlated to exercise-intensity-related variables. The anabolic/catabolic steroids ratios were higher after sub-maximal exercise, compared to maximal.

Conclusions: A 30-min sub-maximal endurance exercise acutely increased serum testosterone similarly to maximal exercise, but without cortisol increases. Exercise-related testosterone peaks should be considered adaptive phenomena, but few data on their short- and long-term effects exist. Investigations on the mechanisms of adaptation to exercise in active individuals with physiological or pathological hypo-testosteronemia are warranted.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Endocr Regul. 2008 Sep;42(4):111-9 - PubMed
    1. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2012 May;44(5):818-26 - PubMed
    1. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2012 Apr 15;302(8):E972-8 - PubMed
    1. Sports Med. 2008;38(5):401-23 - PubMed
    1. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2005 Jan;93(4):375-80 - PubMed