Abstract
Investigations of exercise-induced increases in β-endorphin, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol concentration have been carried out mainly in men. Data concerning the female reaction are sparse and less clear. In a comparison between incremental exercise and marathon running 14 experienced female marathon runners volunteered to run to exhaustion according to an incremental treadmill protocol. They ran a marathon 4 weeks later. Blood was analysed for β-endorphin, ACTH and cortisol concentration immediately prior to the laboratory treadmill test, 3, 30 and 60 min later, as well as prior to the marathon, after 60 min and 120 min of running and 3, 30 min, and 24 h after completion of the run. At each blood collection, lactate concentration, heart frequency and perceived exertion were determined. The mean marathon running time was 3.22 h. Baseline concentrations for β-endorphin of 22 pmol · l−1 before the marathon and 19 pmol · l−1 before the treadmill exercise increased 1.4-fold 30 min after the marathon and 1.9-fold after the treadmill exercise; for ACTH the baseline of 4.7 and 4.0 pmol · l−1 t was increased by 8.3- and 10.3-fold, respectively. Cortisol concentration rose exponentially from a baseline 17 μg · dl−1 and peaked at 2.2-fold 30 min after the run, when the maximal concentration also had been reached after the treadmill test, increasing 1.3-fold from a baseline of 21 μg · dl−1. The maximal values for cortisol concentration after both exercises differed from each other, while the maxima of ACTH and β-endorphin concentrations were similar. The ACTH and β-endorphin concentration declined more slowly during the recovery after the marathon than after the treadmill. Cortisol concentration was below baseline 24 h later. In comparison with men studied earlier, female marathon runners showed higher baseline concentrations and lesser increases in β-endorphin and lower baseline concentrations and larger increases in ACTH concentration after both types of exercise. The delayed decrease in concentration of the hormones after the marathon was similar in male and female runners.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Baker ER, Mathur RS, Kirk RF, Landgrebe SC, Moody LO, Williamson HO (1982) Plasma gonadotropins, prolactin, and steroid hormone concentrations in female runners immediately after a long-distance run. Fertil Steril 38:38–41
Borg G (1970) Perceived exertion as an indication of somatic stress. Scand J Rehabil Med 23:9298
Buono MJ, Yeager JE, Sucec AA (1987) Effect of aerobic training on the plasma ACTH response to exercise. J Appl Physiol 63:2499–2501
Davis JM, Pate RR, Burgess WA, Slentz CA (1987) Stress hormone response to exercise in elite female distance runners. Int J Sports Med 8:132–135
Dearman J, Francis KT (1983) Plasma levels of catecholamines, cortisol, and β-endorphins in male athletes after running 26.2, 6 and 2 miles. J Sports Med 23:30–38
Dent RRM, Guilleminault C, Albert LH, Posner BI, Cox BM, Goldstein A (1981) Diurnal rhythm of plasma immunoreactive β-endorphin and its relationship to sleep stages and plasma rhythms of cortisol and prolactin. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 52:942–947
Ding JH, Sheckter CB, Drinkwater BL, Soules MR, Bremner WJ (1988) High serum cortisol levels in exercise-associated amenorrhea. Ann Int Med 108:530–534
Farrell PA (1985) Exercise and endorphins-male responses. Med Sci Sports Exerc 17:89–93
Farrell PA, Garthwaite TL, Gustafson AB (1983) Plasma adrenocorticotropin and cortisol responses to submaximal and exhaustive exercise. J Appl Physiol 55:1441–1444
Fellmann N, Bedu M, Boudet G, Mage M, Sagnol M, Pequignot JM, Claustrat B, Brun J, Peyrin L, Coudert J (1992) Inter-relationships between pituitary-adrenal hormones and catecholamines during a 6-day Nordic ski race. Eur J Appl Physiol 64:258–265
Goldfarb AH, Hatfield BD, Potts J, Armstrong D (1991) Betaendorphin time course response to intenstiy of exercise:effect of training status. Int J Sports Med 12:264–268
Graf M, Distler W, Flecken A (1989) Diurnal rhythm of plasma β-endorphin related to the menstrual cycle. Geburtsh Frauenheilk 49:121–124
Heck H, Mader A, Hess G, Mücke S, Müller R, Hollmann W (1985) Justification of the 4-mmol/l lactate threshold. Int J Sports Med 6:117–130
Heitkamp HC, Schmid, K, Scheib K (1993) β-endorphin and adrenocorticotropic hormone production during marathon and incremental exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol 66:269–274
Inder WJ, Hellemans J, Ellis MJ, Evans MJ, Livesey JH, Donald RA (1995) Elevated basal adrenocorticotropin and evidence for increased central opioid tone in highly trained male athletes. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 80:244–248
Iranmanesh A, Lizarralde G, Johnson ML, Veldhuis JD (1989) Circadian, ultradian, and episodic release of β-endorphin in men, and its temporal coupling with cortisol. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 68:1019–1026
Kiesel L, Reitzner HC, Rabe, T, Runnebaum B (1989) Pulsatile secretion pattern of β-endorphin and luteinising hormone in women. Aktuel Endokr Stoffwechk 10:25–30
Kraemer WJ, Fleck SJ, Callister R, Shealey M, Dudley GA, Maresh CM, Marchitelli L, Cruthirds C, Murray T, Falkel JE (1989a) Training responses of plasma β-endorphin, adrenocorticotropin, and cortisol. Med Sci Sports Exerc 21:146–153
Kraemer RR, Blair S, Kraemer GR, Castracane VD (1989b) Effects of treadmill running on plasma β-endorphin, corticotropin, and cortisol levels in male and female 10 K runners. Eur J Appl Physiol 58:845–851
Laatikainen T, Virtanen T, Apter D (1986) Plasma immunoreactive β-endorphin in exercise-associated amenorrhea. Am J Obstet Gynecol 154:134–136
Maresh CM, Wang BC, Goetz KL (1985) Plasma vasopressin, renin activity, and aldosterone responses to maximal exercise in active college females. Eur J Appl Physiol 54:398–403
McArthur JW (1985) Endorphins and exercise in females: possible connection with reproductive dysfunctions. Med Sci Sports Exerc 17:82–88
McMurray RG, Forsythe WA, Mar MH, Hardy CJ (1987) Exercise intensity-related responses of β-endorphin and catecholamines. Med Sci Sports Exerc 19:570–574
Oleshansky MA, Zoltick JM, Hermann RH, Mougey EH, Meyerhoff JL (1990) The influence of fitness on neuroendocrine responses to exhaustive treadmill exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol 59:405–410
Oltras CM, Mora F, Vives F (1987) β-endorphin and ACTH in plasma:effects of physical and psychological stress. Life Sci 40:1683–1686
Petraglia F, Bacchi Modena A, Comitini G, Scazzina D, Facchinetti F, Fiaschetti D, Genazzani AD, Barletta C, Scavo D, Genazzani AR (1990) Plasma β-endorphin and β-lipotropin levels increase in well trained athletes after competition and non-competitive exercise. J Endocrinol Invest 13:19–23
Rahkila P, Laatikainen T (1992) Effect of oral contraceptives on plasma β-endorphin and corticotropin at rest and during exercise Gynecol Endocrinol 6:163–166
Rahkila P, Hakala E, Salminen K, Laatikainen T (1987) Response of plasma endorphins to running exercises in male and female endurance athletes. Med Sci Sports Exerc 19:451–455
Robergs RA, Chwalbinska-Moneta J, Mitchell JB, Pascoe DD, Houmard J, Costill DL (1990) Blood lactate threshold differences between arterialized and venous blood. Int J Sports Med 11:446–451
Ruffin MT, Hunter RE, Arendt EA (1990) Exercise and secondary amenorrhoea linked through endogenous opioids. Sports Med 10:65–71
Scavo D, Barletta C, Vagiri D, Letizia C (1991) Adrenocorticotropic hormone, beta-endorphin, cortisol, growth hormone and prolactin circulating levels in nineteen athletes before and after half-marathon and marathon. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 31:401–406
Schwarz L, Kindermann W (1992) Changes in β-endorphin levels in response to aerobic and anaerobic exercise. Sports Med 13:25–36
Strassman RJ, Appenzeller O, Lewy AJ, Qualls CR, Peake GT (1989) Increase in plasma melatonin, β-endorphin, and cortisol after a 28.5-mile mountain race: relationship to performance and lack of effect of naltrexone. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 69:540–545
Tabata I, Atomi Y, Mutoh Y, Miyashita M (1990) Effect of physical training on the responses of serum adrenocorticotropic hormone during prolonged exhausting exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol 61:188–192
Thorén P, Floras JS, Hoffmann P, Seals DR (1990) Endorphins and exercise: physiological mechanisms and clinical implications. Med Sci Sports Exerc 22:417–428
Viswanathan M, Van Dijk JP, Graham TE, Bonen, A, George JC (1987) Exercise- and cold-induced changes in plasma β-endorphin and β-lipotropin in men and women. J Appl Physiol 62:622–627
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Heitkamp, H.C., Huber, W. & Scheib, K. β-Endorphin and adrenocorticotrophin after incremental exercise and marathon running-female responses. Eur J Appl Physiol 72, 417–424 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00242270
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00242270