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Cortisol and testosterone dynamics following exhaustive endurance exercise

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Abstract

Purpose

Cortisol (C) and testosterone (T) are impacted significantly by prolonged endurance exercise with inverse responses. Increases in C are witnessed concurrently with decrements in T, possibly impacting recovery. This study was conducted to assess the dynamics of C and free T (fT) concentration and recovery time following an exhaustive endurance exercise session (EES).

Methods

12 endurance-trained males (X ± SD: VO2max 66.3±4.8 ml/kg/min, age 22.8 ± 3.1 years, body fat 11.0 ± 1.4 %, training 7.1 ± 3.2 years) completed a treadmill EES at ventilatory threshold (74.7 ± 4.6 % of VO2max; 96.9 ± 10.8 min). Basal blood C and fT were collected at baseline: −48, −24 h, and immediately before (0 h) the EES as well as immediately (+0 h), +24 h, +48 h, and +72 h after the EES. Blood glucose (G) was measured to confirm no undue influence on C. Statistically data were analyzed with repeated measures ANOVA (LSD post hoc).

Results

C (nmol/L) increased significantly from −48 h (321 ± 59) to +0 h (701 ± 178) (p < 0.001), and displayed a baseline overshoot with +24 h (209 ± 67) being significantly lower than −48 and +0 h (p < 0.03). fT (pmol/L) decreased significantly from −48 h (161 ± 40) to +0 h (106 ± 38) (p < 0.01) and remained lower at +24 h (110 ± 33) and +48 h (129 ± 30) (p < 0.001). G remained stable throughout. A moderately negative correlation (r = −0.636, p < 0.026) was found between C and fT at +0 h.

Conclusions

EES recovery may require 48 h for C and 72 h for fT to return to baseline values. Furthermore, C and fT were only correlated immediately post-exercise. Future research should perform more frequent measurements throughout time course.

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Abbreviations

C:

Cortisol

fT:

Free testosterone

GnRH:

Gonadotropin releasing hormone

Hb:

Hemoglobin

Hct:

Hematocrit

HPA axis:

Hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis

LH:

Luteinizing hormone

REPANOVA:

Repeated analysis of variance

RPE:

Rate of perceived exertion

VO2max :

Maximal volume of oxygen uptake

VT:

Ventilatory threshold

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank the subjects for their time and efforts in this project. Additionally, the authors are grateful to Dr. Atko Viru, Tartu University, Estonia, for his valuable insight into the interpretation of the data.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Endocrine Section, Applied Physiology Laboratory, Department of Exercise and Sport Science, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-8700, USA

    Travis Anderson, Amy R. Lane & Anthony C. Hackney

Authors
  1. Travis Anderson
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  2. Amy R. Lane
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  3. Anthony C. Hackney
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Correspondence to Travis Anderson.

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The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and is later amendments or comparable ethics standards.

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Communicated by Fabio Fischetti.

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Anderson, T., Lane, A.R. & Hackney, A.C. Cortisol and testosterone dynamics following exhaustive endurance exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol 116, 1503–1509 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-016-3406-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-016-3406-y

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