HORMONAL AND METABOLIC RESPONSES TO MODERATE AND HEAVY RESISTANCE EXERCISE LOADS IN MALE SUBJECTS

Abstract

Forty healthy male subjects as volunteers participated in two different exercise load protocols (moderate and heavy loads), 20 subjects for each. The exercise protocols were carried out in the morning after fasting overnight, five times a week for 30 minutes a day for four weeks. Blood samples were withdrawn before the start and immediately after finishing the exercise protocols, from the antecubital vein, and the obtained plasma were kept at -20 °C until analysis. The hormone level of growth hormone (GH), testosterone, cortisol, insulin, T3 and T4, were determined by RIA technique, while the plasma concentrations of glucose, non-esterified free fatty acids (NEFFAs), triglycerides (TG) and total protein (TP) were measured biochemically. The results revealed a significant increase in the hormone levels of GH, testosterone, cortisol, insulin and T4,; and a significant increase in the concentration of NEFFAs and TG, while the plasma T3 levels and plasma glucose concentration showed a significant decrease in both exercise load protocols. Moreover, the T3 levels indicated a positive correlation coefficient (r) with glucose concentration, and a negative (r) with both NEFFAs and TG. On the other hand, T4, insulin and cortisol revealed a negative (r) with glucose and a positive (r) with both NEFFAs and TG. The results reported here were similar to a great extent to that reported in starvation. Thus, it would clearly appear that the exercise protocols can be considered as a good regimen program.
Keywords: Exercise loads, growth hormone, lactate, cortisol, NEFAs