Acute testosterone and cortisol responses to high power resistance exercise
1Applied Physiology Laboratory Department of Health, Sport & Exercise Sciences, University of Kansas, Washington University, St. Louis, USA.
Fiziologiia Cheloveka
|September 1, 2010
Summary
High power resistance exercise, like speed squats, may boost testosterone levels. This study found a significant increase in lactate but a large effect size for testosterone, suggesting an anabolic hormonal response.
Area of Science:
- Exercise Physiology
- Endocrinology
- Sports Science
Background:
- Resistance exercise elicits acute hormonal responses.
- High power exercise may influence anabolic hormones like testosterone.
- Understanding these responses is crucial for training optimization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the acute hormonal responses to a single high power resistance exercise session.
- To analyze serum testosterone, cortisol, their ratio, and lactate levels post-exercise.
- To determine if high power resistance exercise induces significant hormonal changes.
Main Methods:
- Four weight-trained men performed 10 sets of 5 speed squats at 70% 1RM.
- Serum samples were collected pre- and post-exercise for hormonal analysis.
- External dynamometry measured mean power and velocity during exercise.
Main Results:
- Lactate significantly increased post-exercise (1.00 to 4.85 mmol/L).
- Testosterone showed a very large effect size (Cohen's D = 1.27) post-exercise, though not statistically significant.
- No significant changes were observed in cortisol or the testosterone/cortisol ratio.
Conclusions:
- High power resistance exercise protocols can elicit acute increases in testosterone.
- The observed testosterone response suggests a potential anabolic hormonal benefit.
- This type of training may contribute to muscle hypertrophy in athletes.
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