Abstract
The present study investigated whether short-term oral administration of glucocorticoid would modify performance and selected hormonal and metabolic parameters during submaximal exercise in healthy women. Nine recreational female athletes completed cycling trials at 70–75% VO2 max until exhaustion after either placebo (Pla, gelatin) or oral prednisone (Cor, Cortancyl, 50 mg per day for 1 week) treatment, according to a double-blind and randomized protocol. Blood samples were collected at rest; after 10, 20, and 30 min of exercise; at exhaustion; and after 10 and 20 min of passive recovery for adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), prolactin (PRL), growth hormone (GH), insulin (Ins), blood glucose (Glu), and lactate (Lac) determination. Cycling time was significantly increased with short-term Cor intake (Cor: 66.4 ± 8.4 vs. Pla: 47.9 ± 6.7 min, P < 0.01). ACTH and DHEA remained completely blunted throughout the experiment with Cor versus Pla (P < 0.01), whereas GH and PRL were significantly decreased with Cor after, respectively, 20 and 30 min of exercise (P < 0.05). No significant difference in Ins or Glu values was found between the two treatments but Lac concentrations were significantly increased with Cor versus Pla between 10 and 30 min of exercise (P < 0.05). These data indicate that short-term glucocorticoid intake improved endurance performance in women, but further investigation is needed to determine whether these results are applicable to elite female athletes and, if so, current WADA legislation needs to be changed.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Arlettaz A, Collomp K, Portier H, Lecoq AM, Pellé A, De Ceaurriz J (2006) Effect of acute prednisolone intake during intense submaximal exercise. Int J Sports Med 27:673–679
Arlettaz A, Portier H, Lecoq AM, Rieth N, De Ceaurriz J, Collomp K (2007) Effects of short-term prednisolone intake during submaximal exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc 39:1672–1678
Arlettaz A, Portier H, Lecoq AM, Labsy Z, De Ceaurriz J, Collomp K (2008a) Effects of acute prednisolone intake on substrate utilization during submaximal exercise. Int J Sports Med 29:21–26
Arlettaz A, Collomp K, Portier H, Lecoq AM, Rieth N, Le Panse B, De Ceaurriz J (2008b) Effects of acute prednisolone administration on exercise endurance and metabolism. Br J Sports Med 42:250–254
Bauer A, Tronche F, Wessely O, Kellendonk C, Reichardt HM, Steinlein P, Schutz G, Beug H (1999) The glucocorticoid receptor is required for stress erythropoiesis. Genes Dev 13:2996–3002
Brillon DH, Zheng B, Campbell RG, Matthews DE (1995) Effect of cortisol on energy expenditure and amino acid metabolism in humans. Am J Physiol 268:E501–E513
Caro JF, Amatruda JM (1982) Glucocorticoid-induced insulin resistance-the importance of postbinding events in the regulation of insulin binding, action and degradation in freshly isolated and primary cultures of rat hepatocytes. J Clin Invest 69:866–875
Collomp K, Arlettaz A (2008) Response: corticosteroid administration and exercise performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc 40:774
Collomp K, Arlettaz A, Portier H, Lecoq AM, Le Panse B, Rieth N, De Ceaurriz J (2008) Short term glucocorticoid intake combined with intense training on performance and hormonal responses. Br J Sports Med 42:983–988
Davis JM (1995) Central and peripheral factors in fatigue. J Sports Med 13:S49–S53
Deuster PA, Petrides JS, Singh A, Lucci EB, Chrousos GP, Gold PW (1998) High intensity exercise promotes escape of adrenocorticotropin and cortisol from suppression by dexamethasone: sexually dimorphic responses. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 83:3332–3338
Ferner RE (1992) Drug-induced diabetes. Baillieres Clin Endocrinol Metab 6:849–866
Giustina A, Girelli A, Alberti D, Bossoni S, Buzi F, Doga M, Schettino M, Wehrenberg W (1991) Effects of pyridostigmine on spontaneous and growth hormone-releasing hormone stimulated growth hormone secretion in children on daily glucocorticoid therapy after liver transplantation. Clin Endocrinol 35:491–498
Kuipers H, Van’t Hullenaar GA, Pluim BM, Overbeek SE, De Hon O, Van Breda EJ, Van Loon LC (2008) Four weeks’ corticosteroid inhalation does not augment maximal power output in endurance athletes. Br J Sports Med 42:568–571
Lac G, Marquet P, Chassain A, Habrioux G, Galen F (1999) Dexamethasone in resting and exercising men. I. Effects on adrenocortical hormones. J Appl Physiol 87:183–188
Marquet P, Lac G, Chassain A, Habrioux G, Galen F (1999) Dexamethasone in resting and exercising men. I. Effects on bioenergetics, minerals, and related hormones. J Appl Physiol 87:175–182
McMahon M, Gerich J, Rizza R (1988) Effects of glucocorticoids on carbohydrate metabolism. Diabetes Metab Rev 4:17–30
Orchard JW (2008) Why glucocorticoids should be removed from the World Antidoping Agency’s list of banned products. Br J Sports Med 42:944–945
Perley M, Kipnis D (1966) Effects of glucocorticoids on plasma insulin. N Engl J Med 274:1237–1241
Piacentini MF, Meeusen R, Buyse L, De Schutter G, Kempenaers F, Van Niivel J, De Meirleir K (2002) No effect of noradrenergic reuptake inhibitor on performance in trained cyclists. Med Sci Sports Exerc 34:1189–1193
Pitsiladis YP, Strachan AT, Davidson I, Maughan RJ (2002) Hyperporolactinaemia during prolonged exercise in the heat: evidence for a centrally mediated component of fatigue in trained cyclists. Exp Physiol 87:215–226
Qi D, Pulinilkunnil T, An D, Ghosh S, Abrahani A, Pospisilik JA, Brownsey R, Wambolt R, Allard M, Rodrigues B (2004) Single-dose dexamethasone induces whole-body insulin resistance and alters both cardiac fatty acid and carbohydrate metabolism. Diabetes 53:1790–1797
Rupprecht M, Rupprecht R, Koch HU, Haack D, Muller OA, Hornstein OP (1991) Multihormonal response to dexamethasone. A study in atopic dermatitis and normal controls. Acta Derm Venereol 71:214–218
Soetens E, De Meirleir K, Hueting JE (1995) No influence of ACTH on maximal performance. Psychopharmacology 118:260–266
Swinburn CR, Wakefield JM, Newman SP, Jones PW (1988) Evidence of prednisolone induces mood change (‘steroid euphoria’) in patients with chronic obstructive airways disease. Br J Clin Pharmacol 26:709–713
Tataranni P, Larson D, Snitker S, Young J, Flatt J, Ravussin E (1996) Effects of glucocorticoids on energy metabolism and food intake in humans. Am J Physiol 271:E317–E325
Acknowledgments
This project was carried out with the support of World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). The authors wish to express their gratitude to the subjects for their dedicated performance. In addition, we likewise thank the CHR of Orléans, Marie-Noëlle Beaudhuy, Cathy Carmeni, Nicole Chevrier, Nathalie Crépin, Sylvie Desforges, Dr. Philippe Emy, Sandra Ferary, Patrick Guenon, Johan Le-Drogoff and Patrick Marié for their expert assistance.
Conflict of interest statement
None declared.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Le Panse, B., Thomasson, R., Jollin, L. et al. Short-term glucocorticoid intake improves exercise endurance in healthy recreationally trained women. Eur J Appl Physiol 107, 437–443 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-009-1149-8
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-009-1149-8