Acute responses of comprehensive gonadosteroids and corticosteroids to resistance exercise before and after 10 weeks of supervised strength training

Abstract

Resistance training is a potent stimulus for muscle growth and steroid hormones are known to play a role in this adaptation. However, very little is known about the acute exercise‐induced gonadosteroid and corticosteroid hormone responses, including key smaller‐concentration intermediate hormones. The present study determined the acute responses of these steroid hormone families using quantitative UHPLC mass spectrometry (MS) following resistance exercise in strength‐trained men. Venous and fingertip blood was drawn pre‐, mid‐, 5 min post‐ and 15 min post‐resistance exercise, both before and after 10 weeks of supervised resistance training. The experimental resistance exercise sessions consisted of 3 sets of 10 repetitions in the bilateral leg press and 3 sets of 10 repetitions in the unilateral knee extension with 2 and 1 min recovery between sets, respectively. Statistically significant (P < 0.05) increases in the concentration of hormones in the gonadosteroid (including; dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), androstenedione, testosterone, estrone) and the corticosteroid (including; cortisol, corticosterone and cortisone) families were demonstrated after both experimental resistance exercise sessions, irrespective of training status. Correlation analyses revealed relationships between: 1) DHEA and androstenedione, 2) DHEA and cortisol, 3) androstenedione and estrone, and 4) 11‐deoxycortisol and cortisol. Testosterone appears to acutely increase independently of other intermediary hormones following resistance exercise. In conclusion, smaller‐concentration intermediary gonadosteroids (e.g. estrone) and corticosteroids (e.g. corticosterone) respond robustly to resistance exercise in strength‐trained men, although it seems that testosterone concentrations are regulated by factors other than the availability of precursor hormones and changes in plasma volume.