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In early pubertal boys, testosterone and LH are associated with improved anti-oxidation during an aerobic exercise bout

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Abstract

Purpose

To investigate the association of the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular (HPT) axis with pro- and anti- oxidation, in relation to puberty and obesity in boys, before and after an aerobic exercise bout.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional human observational study of 92 healthy normal-weight, obese pre- and early- pubertal boys that underwent a blood sampling, before, and after an aerobic exercise bout at 70% VO2max, until exhaustion. LH, FSH, total testosterone (tT) and markers of pro- (TBARS and PCs) and anti- (GSH, GSSG, GPX, catalase, TAC) oxidation were measured.

Results

Baseline LH, FSH, and tT concentrations were greater in early, than in pre- pubertal boys, independently of weight status. Post-exercise, LH concentrations decreased in early pubertal boys while FSH concentrations did not change in any of the studied groups. Baseline and post-exercise tT concentrations were lower in obese than in normal-weight early pubertal boys, while baseline and post-exercise LH and FSH concentrations did not differ between these groups. Post-exercise tT concentrations increased in early pubertal obese boys. Baseline LH, FSH and tT concentrations correlated positively with baseline anti-oxidation markers concentrations in pre-pubertal boys. Baseline tT concentrations correlated positively with the increase of TAC concentrations in early pubertal normal-weight boys. In all boys, baseline LH concentrations were the best positive predictors for the exercise-associated increase of TAC concentrations.

Conclusions

It appears that the HPT axis maturation during puberty (in particular its LH and testosterone components) is positively associated with the increase of anti-oxidation during a bout of aerobic exercise.

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Acknowledgements

This research did not receive any specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sector.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Endocrine Unit, “Aretaieion” Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens - Faculty of Medicine, Athens, Greece

    George Paltoglou, Charikleia Stefanaki & George Mastorakos

  2. Department of Paediatric and Adolescent Endocrinology, University College London Hospital, London, UK

    George Paltoglou

  3. Department of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Democritus University of Thrace, Komotini, Greece

    Alexandra Avloniti & Athanasios Chatzinikolaou

  4. Department of Pediatrics, General Hospital of Piraeus ‘Aghios Panteleimon’, Piraeus, Greece

    Charikleia Stefanaki

  5. Third Department of Pediatrics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, School of Medicine, “Hippokrateion” General Hospital of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece

    Maria Papagianni

  6. Department of Clinical Biochemistry, “Aghia Sophia” Children’s Hospital, Athens, Greece

    Ioannis Papassotiriou

  7. Department of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, University of Thessaly, Trikala, Greece

    Ioannis G. Fatouros

  8. First Department of Pediatrics, “Aghia Sophia” Children’s Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens - Faculty of Medicine, Athens, Greece

    George P. Chrousos & Christina Kanaka-Gantenbein

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  1. George Paltoglou
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  2. Alexandra Avloniti
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  3. Athanasios Chatzinikolaou
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  7. Ioannis G. Fatouros
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  9. Christina Kanaka-Gantenbein
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  10. George Mastorakos
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Correspondence to George Mastorakos.

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This article does not contain any studies with animals performed by any of the authors. All procedures performed in the study involving human participants had the approval of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School designated ethics committee and were in accordance with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments.

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The aims and the procedure of the study were fully disclosed to the parents or legal guardians of the participants, and informed, written consent was obtained from them while boys gave verbal consent before the participation in the study.

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Paltoglou, G., Avloniti, A., Chatzinikolaou, A. et al. In early pubertal boys, testosterone and LH are associated with improved anti-oxidation during an aerobic exercise bout. Endocrine 66, 370–380 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12020-019-02037-1

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