1. Cortisol, Testosterone, and Free Testosterone in Athletes Performing a Marathon at 4,000 m Altitude
- Author
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Pierangelo Bonini, Giulio Sergio Roi, Marino Giacometti, Giuseppe Banfi, and Marcello Marinelli
- Subjects
Adult ,Male ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Hydrocortisone ,medicine.drug_class ,Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism ,Acclimatization ,Running ,Endocrinology ,Heart Rate ,Internal medicine ,Heart rate ,medicine ,Humans ,Testosterone ,biology ,Overtraining ,Athletes ,business.industry ,Altitude ,Testosterone (patch) ,medicine.disease ,biology.organism_classification ,Androgen ,business ,human activities ,Glucocorticoid ,medicine.drug - Abstract
Cortisol, testosterone, free testosterone and the ratio between free testosterone and cortisol (FTCR) were monitored in six athletes participating in a marathon starting at 3,860 and finishing at 3,400 m, having reached the top at 5,100 m altitude. Blood was drawn at sea level before the departure for the mountain area, after a week of acclimatization, immediately after the marathon and after a 24-hour recovery period from the run. Cortisol increased after acclimatization and especially after the marathon; it decreased to normal values after recovery. Testosterone decreased after acclimatization, especially after the run; it presented a partial recovery 24 h after the race. Free testosterone did not decrease after acclimatization and presented partial recovery. FTCR could also be useful for monitoring fitness, overtraining and overstrain in strenuous and ultraendurance exercise.
- Published
- 1994
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