Relationship of Testosterone, LH, Estradiol, IGF-1, and SHBG with Physical Performance of Master Athletes

• Published in: Research quarterly for exercise and sport Vol. 95; no. 2; pp. 363 - 369
• Main Authors: Santos, Patrick Anderson, da Silva Aguiar, Samuel, Barbosa, Lucas Duarte Maciel Pinheiro Freire, dos Santos Rosa, Thiago, Sales, Marcelo Magalhães, Maciel, Larissa Alves, Lopes de Araújo Leite, Patrício, Gutierrez, Sara Duarte, Minuzzi, Luciele Guerra, Sousa, Caio Victor, Lewis, John Eugene, Simões, Herbert Gustavo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Routledge 02.04.2024
• Subjects: Adult; Athletes; Athletic Performance - physiology; Body Composition - physiology; Estradiol - blood; Hormonal profile; Humans; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I - analysis; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I - metabolism; Luteinizing Hormone - blood; Male; Middle Aged; Physical Endurance - physiology; running; Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin - analysis; sprinting; Testosterone - blood; track and field; running; sprinting; track and field; performance; Hormonal profile
• DOI: 10.1080/02701367.2023.2212718
• ISSN: 0270-1367; 2168-3824

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), testosterone (T), estradiol (ES), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) in master sprint (MS) and master endurance (ME) athletes. Additionally, the possible associations between these hormones, body composition, and lipid profile with athletic performance (% of performance in relation to the current world record) were analyzed. Materials and Methods: The participants were all men: (i) 34 MS (51.0 ± 6.8 years); and (ii) 32 ME (51.7 ± 9.4 years). Student's t-tests for independent samples were performed to compare all variables between groups. Results: MS had a significantly higher (p = .008) average IGF-1 (154.78 ± 29.85 ng/mL) when compared to ME (129.92 ± 25.48 ng/mL). Performance was significantly correlated with IGF-1 (r = 0.424). The MS group had a moderately lower body fat than ME athletes (MS 12.54 ± 4.07 vs. ME 14.60 ± 4.12; p = .078; d = 0.503). Conclusions: Thus, strength/power training exercise/sport seems to be more beneficial for obtaining a higher IGF-1 compared to aerobic/distance exercise/sport. In addition, LH, T, ES, and SHBG were similar between the two groups of athletes and were comparable to the reference values of younger adults.