Effects of Intensive Training on Prolactin Responses to Submaximal Exercise in Males

Area of Science:

• Exercise Physiology
• Endocrinology

Background:

• Prolactin is a hormone influenced by exercise.
• The impact of intensive training on prolactin response requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of 8 weeks of intensive training on serum prolactin responses to submaximal exercise.

Main Methods:

• Nine males underwent 8 weeks of intensive training (5 d/wk, 90 min/d).
• Submaximal exercise bouts (cycle ergometry at 65% VO2 max) were performed at weeks 1, 4, and 8.
• Blood samples were collected pre-training, and pre- and post-exercise.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in pre- and post-exercise prolactin were observed at weeks 1 and 4.
• At week 8, post-exercise prolactin was significantly higher than pre-exercise levels (P<0.05).
• Resting prolactin levels significantly decreased from pre-training to week 8 (12.3 ± 1.2 ng·ml⁻¹ to 3.8 ± 0.9 ng·ml⁻¹).

Conclusions:

• Intensive training leads to a relative augmentation of the post-exercise prolactin response.
• This augmentation appears primarily driven by training-induced reductions in resting prolactin levels.