Elevation of dental pain threshold induced in man by physical exercise is not reversed by cyproheptadine-mediated suppression of growth hormone release

Abstract

The effect of cyproheptadine on growth hormone (GH) secretion and dental pain threshold elevation during physical exercise was studied in healthy human subjects. Different levels of exercise (200-300 W) were produced by a cycle-ergometer. Dental pain thresholds were tested with a constant current pulp tester. In all 6 subjects dental pain thresholds and the heart rate were increased with increasing work load. Cyproheptadine did not have any significant effect on dental pain threshold elevations, although it suppressed the exercise-induced GH release. The results indicate that the exercise-induced dental pain threshold elevation is not based on GH-related stress mechanisms, since cyproheptadine did not reverse the pain threshold elevation.