Associations between androgen levels and endurance training-induced changes in body composition and physical...

We investigated whether a moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) for two menstrual/contraceptive cycles (~8 weeks) alters endogenous androgen concentrations in premenopausal females, and whether baseline androgen concentrations or their changes from baseline to post-intervention are associated with adaptations in body composition and physical performance. Serum total/free testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), DHEA-sulfate (DHEA-S), and sex hormone-binding globulin were analyzed in follicular/luteal phases in eumenorrheic females (EUM, n = 18) and in inactive/active phases in combined oral contraceptive users (COC) (n = 8). Fat-free mass (FFM), fat mass, counter movement jump (CMJ), maximal isometric force (F_max), and aerobic capacity (V̇O_2peak) were measured across MICT. Androgen concentrations remained stable from baseline to post-intervention. Body composition remained statistically unchanged, while V̇O_2peak increased by 0.05 L·min^-1 from baseline to post-intervention at luteal/active phase (standardized estimate β = 0.16, p = 0.046). Baseline DHEA-S was positively associated with changes (∆) in FFM-adjusted V̇O_2peak (β = 0.31, p = 0.026), and ∆DHEA-S was negatively associated with ∆V̇O_2peak at follicular/inactive phase (β = -0.55, p = 0.030). Baseline total testosterone (β = -1.86, p = 0.042) and DHEA-S (β = -0.36, p = 0.016) were negatively associated with ∆CMJ at luteal/active phase. These associations were no longer significant after adjusting for FFM and fat mass. Although baseline androgen levels and their changes were not consistently related to body composition or physical performance changes, DHEA-S concentrations may be associated with endurance training-related changes in V̇O_2peak.