Robert J. Durand

Rigorous Running Increases Growth Hormone and Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I Without Altering Ghrelin

It has been suggested that ghrelin may play a role in growth hormone (GH) responses to exercise. The present study was designed to determine whether ghrelin, GH, insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), and IGF-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) were altered by a progressively intense running protocol. Six well-trained male volunteers completed a progressively intense intermittent exercise trial on a treadmill that included four exercise intensities: 60%, 75%, 90%, and 100% of Vo2max. Blood samples were collected before exercise, after each exercise intensity, and at 15 and 30 mins following the exercise protocol. Subjects also completed a separate control trial at the same time of day that excluded exercise. GH changed significantly over time, and GH area under the curve (AUC) was significantly higher in the exercise trial than the control trial. Area under the curve IGF-I levels for the exercise trial were significantly higher than the control trial. There was no difference in the ghrelin and IGFBP-3 responses to the exercise and control trials. Pearson correlation coefficients revealed significant relationships between ghrelin and both IGF-I and IGFBP-3; however, no relationship between ghrelin and GH was found. In conclusion, intense running produces increases in total IGF-I concentrations, which differs from findings in previous studies using less rigorous running protocols and less frequent blood sampling regimens. Moreover, running exercise that produces substantial increases in GH does not affect peripheral ghrelin levels; however, significant relationships between ghrelin and both IGF-I and IGFBP-3 exist during intense intermittent running and recovery, which warrants further investigation.

Adiponectin responses to continuous and progressively intense intermittent exercise.

PURPOSE Adiponectin is a recently discovered adipocyte protein that is lower in patients with coronary artery disease and in Type II diabetics who have insulin resistance. Regular exercise is known to be a preventative factor in the development of atherosclerosis and Type II diabetes. Acute exercise increases insulin sensitivity; however, it also increases beta-adrenergic and glucocorticoid activities that may suppress adiponectin expression. Two experiments were conducted to determine whether acute exercise affects adiponectin concentrations. METHODS In the first experiment, six healthy male subjects completed 30 min of heavy continuous running exercise at 79% of VO (2max). In the second experiment, well-trained runners completed strenuous intermittent exercise consisting of treadmill running at 60, 75, 90, and 100% VO (2max). A resting control trial for the second experiment was also conducted. RESULTS Glucose and insulin were not altered significantly in the first experiment, but both increased significantly (P < 0.05) in the second experiment. A significant increase (P < 0.05) in adiponectin in the first experiment was no longer significant after correction for plasma volumes shifts. In the second experiment, there were significant (P < 0.05) changes in adiponectin concentrations over time but not a significant difference between adiponectin responses in exercise and control trials. CONCLUSIONS The data suggest that 30 min of heavy continuous running or more strenuous intermittent running does not stimulate an increase in production and release of adiponectin, and small increases in adiponectin concentrations resulting from the exercise may be attributed to normal plasma volume shifts.

Hormonal responses from concentric and eccentric muscle contractions

UNLABELLED Intense resistance exercise can acutely increase testosterone (T), free testosterone (FT), and growth hormone (GH) concentrations, but there are few investigations concerning acute endocrine responses to concentric (CON) and eccentric (ECC) contractile actions. PURPOSE The purpose of the study was to compare acute anabolic hormonal responses to bouts of dynamic CON and ECC contractions from multiple exercises at the same absolute load. METHODS Ten young men (age: 24.7 +/- 1.2 yr, weight: 85.45 +/- 24.2 kg, and height: 178 +/- 0.2 cm) completed two trials in counterbalanced fashion consisting of only CON or ECC contractions at the same absolute workload. Subjects performed four sets of 12 repetitions of bench press, leg extension, military press, and leg curl at 80% of a 10-repetition maximum with 90-s rest periods. Blood samples were collected pre-, post-, and 15-min postexercise. RESULTS There were significant increases in GH, T, and FT and lactate for both trials, but only GH and lactate were greater for the CON trial. CONCLUSION CON exercise increases GH concentrations to a much greater extent than ECC exercise at the same absolute load, and it is likely that greater GH responses were related to intensity rather than mode of contraction. Also, CON and ECC dynamic contraction trials at the same absolute workload elicited similar small but significant increases in T and FT, indicating that the greater metabolic stress produced by during the CON trial did not affect these hormone responses.

Ghrelin and Other Glucoregulatory Hormone Responses to Eccentric and Concentric Muscle Contractions

Objective: Heavy resistance exercise increases growth hormone (GH) and blood glucose levels. Ghrelin is an endogenous ligand for the GH secretagory receptor that stimulates growth hormone release. Circulating ghrelin levels are suppressed by insulin and glucose. The study was conducted to determine effects of concentric (CON) and eccentric (ECC) muscle actions at the same absolute workload on circulating ghrelin and glucose as well as related glucoregulatory peptides.Methods: Ten-RM loads for bench press, leg extension, military press, and leg curl were obtained from nine males, mean age 25.±1.2 yr and body fat 17.2±1.6%. Subjects then completed two experimental trials of either CON or ECC contractions at the same absolute workload. Subjects performed four sets of 12 repetitions for each exercise at 80% of a 10-RM with 90 s rest periods. A pulley system or steel levers were positioned on each machine to raise or lower the weight so only CON or ECC contractions were performed. Pre-, post-, and 15-min post-exercise blood samples were collected.Results: Ghrelin did not increase in response to either muscle action and actually declined during the CON trial. Glucose and insulin increased regardless of the form of muscle action, but amylin and C-peptide did not change.Conclusions: Data indicate that ghrelin does not contribute to moderate resistance exercise-induced increases in growth hormone, whether from CON or ECC muscle actions. Results suggest that with a moderate loading protocol both CON and ECC muscle actions performed at the same absolute workload elevate glucose and insulin concentrations, but are not related to post-CON exercise ghrelin suppression.

Rpe, pain, and physiological adjustment to concentric and eccentric contractions

PURPOSE The purpose of the study was to compare perceptual (RPE and pain), cardiac (heart rate), lactate, and endocrine (cortisol) responses with concentric (CON) and eccentric (ECC) resistance exercise protocols using the same absolute workload. METHODS Eight healthy men with resistance-training experience participated in the study. Subjects completed two experimental trials consisting of either CON contractions or ECC contractions at the same absolute workload for each of four exercises: bench press, leg extension, military press, and leg curl. Subjects performed four sets of 12 repetitions at 80% of 10-RM with 90-s rest periods. Blood samples were taken before, immediately after, and 15-min postexercise. RESULTS There was a significant trial effect for RPE, with CON exercise eliciting a higher RPE than ECC exercise (6.71 +/- 0.51 and 4.10 +/- 0.27, respectively). A significant trial effect was also demonstrated for pain, with CON exercise producing a higher pain rating than ECC exercise (5.59 +/- 0.41 and 3.23 +/- 0.27, respectively). Significantly higher heart rates and lactates were also demonstrated during the CON trial. For cortisol, a significant interaction was revealed between the pre- and immediate posttrial measures but not an overall trial effect. Correlational analyses revealed a significant relationship between RPE and pain for both trials. CONCLUSIONS CON exercise elicits greater perceptual (higher RPE and pain rating), cardiac, lactate and cortisol response than ECC exercise at the same absolute workload. Data demonstrate that relative to absolute load, RPE and pain respond to resistance exercise in a similar fashion. Additionally, physiological cues are consistent with these perceptual data.

Effects of high-intensity exercise on leptin and testosterone concentrations in well-trained males.

Objective: A number of investigations have examined the effect of exercise on leptin concentrations, because leptin is associated with obesity, satiety, and reproductive function. High-intensity exercise is known to increase testosterone, an inhibitor of leptin. The objective of the study was to determine whether the leptin responses to a progressive, intermittent exercise protocol were related to serum testosterone concentrations. Most previous studies have examined leptin responses to low or moderately high exercise intensities. A second objective was to determine whether leptin responses were different than previous experiments using intermittent moderate and high-intensity exercise.Methods: Well-trained runners completed strenuous intermittent exercise consisting of treadmill running at 60, 75, 90, and 100% VO2max and a subsequent resting control trial was also conducted.Results: There were significant increases in mean serum levels of leptin and testosterone with both quickly returning to baseline during recovery, but no relationship between the two hormones was found. After examining individual data for both hormones, it was discovered that subjects could be classified as leptin responders or nonresponders, whereas testosterone increased in all subjects. Responders had elevated serum leptin levels at baseline and exhibited increases after high-intensity exercise, whereas nonresponders did not show changes in leptin during exercise.Conclusions: Data suggest testosterone levels do not acutely affect leptin responses to exercise or 1-h of recovery. Moreover, varied leptin responses to intense exercise in comparable well-trained runners was observed and was associated with baseline leptin concentrations.