FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 10000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
The veterinary quarterly2007; 29(3); 82-101; doi: 10.1080/01652176.2007.9695232

Hormonal responses to acute exercise, training and overtraining. A review with emphasis on the horse.

Abstract: Overtraining is an imbalance between training and recovery leading to symptoms associated with a neuroendocrine dysbalance called the overtraining syndrome, a disease characterized by behavioral, emotional and physical symptoms similar with depression. Although the prevalence of overtraining is high in human and equine athletes, at present no sensitive and specific test is available to prevent or diagnose overtraining. Nowadays, it is believed that combination of different (hormonal) parameters appear to be the best indicators of overtraining. Therefore, this review provides a summary of previous literature examining the response of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the growth hormone-insulin-like growth factor-I (GH-IGF-I) axis to acute and chronic exercise as well as overtraining in humans and horses. The exercise induced hormonal responses seem to be equal for the equine as well as the human athlete, which makes comparisons possible. Repeated bouts of exercise are suggested to provide a way to detect subtle changes in hormonal responses in the individual athlete, which may make them an important tool in detecting early overtraining. This should be combined with corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) stimulation tests and basal ACTH and GH pulsatility determination. Further research is needed to establish the correct training intensity and rest period for the exercise test in equines.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2007-11-01 PubMed ID: 17970286DOI: 10.1080/01652176.2007.9695232Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
LinkedInCopy
  • Journal Article
  • Review

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research examines hormonal responses to acute and chronic exercise, and overtraining, with a focus on human and equine athletes. The researchers consider hormonal parameters as potential indicators of overtraining, a condition likened to depression which stems from an imbalance between training and recovery.

Overtraining and Hormonal Responses

  • Overtraining is depicted as an imbalance between training and recovery. This results in overtraining syndrome, a condition sharing similarities with depression in terms of physical, emotional, and behavioral symptoms.
  • Despite high prevalence in human and equine athletes, no precise diagnostic test exists to prevent or identify overtraining. Current thinking suggests that a combination of various hormonal parameters may serve as the most useful indicators of this condition.

Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) and Growth Hormone-Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I (GH-IGF-I) Axes

  • The research scrutinizes the response of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) and the Growth Hormone-Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I (GH-IGF-I) axes to both acute and chronic workouts and overtraining in human and equine athletes.
  • Their findings suggest that exercize-induced hormonal responses are practically identical for human and equine athletes, thereby enabling comparisons.

Repeated Exercise Bouts and Hormonal Changes

  • The study suggests that repeated exercise sessions may reveal slight variations in hormonal responses in individuals, which may contribute to early detection of overtraining.
  • Such identification techniques should be supplemented with CRH (Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone) stimulation tests, and determining the baseline ACTH (Adrenocorticotropic Hormone) and GH (Growth Hormone) pulsatility.

Further Research and Recommendations

  • Additional research is required to establish the optimal exercise intensity and rest period for equine athletes.
  • The researchers emphasize the lack of a sensitive and specific diagnostic test for overtraining and the potential for exploring hormonal parameters as markers for the syndrome.

Cite This Article

APA
de Graaf-Roelfsema E, Keizer HA, van Breda E, Wijnberg ID, van der Kolk JH. (2007). Hormonal responses to acute exercise, training and overtraining. A review with emphasis on the horse. Vet Q, 29(3), 82-101. https://doi.org/10.1080/01652176.2007.9695232

Publication

The veterinary quarterly
ISSN: 0165-2176
NlmUniqueID: 7909485
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 29
Issue: 3
Pages: 82-101

Researcher Affiliations

de Graaf-Roelfsema, E
  • Department of Equine Sciences, Medicine Section, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, The Netherlands. e.roelfsema@uu.nl
Keizer, H A
    van Breda, E
      Wijnberg, I D
        van der Kolk, J H

          MeSH Terms

          • Adaptation, Physiological / physiology
          • Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / blood
          • Animals
          • Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / blood
          • Growth Hormone / blood
          • Horses / physiology
          • Physical Conditioning, Animal
          • Pituitary-Adrenal System / physiology

          Citations

          This article has been cited 16 times.
          1. Li J, Jiang X, Huang Z, Shao T. Exercise intervention and improvement of negative emotions in children: a meta-analysis. BMC Pediatr 2023 Aug 22;23(1):411.
            doi: 10.1186/s12887-023-04247-zpubmed: 37608261google scholar: lookup
          2. Darbandi H, Munsters C, Parmentier J, Havinga P. Detecting fatigue of sport horses with biomechanical gait features using inertial sensors. PLoS One 2023;18(4):e0284554.
            doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0284554pubmed: 37058516google scholar: lookup
          3. Siegers E, van Wijk E, van den Broek J, Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan M, Munsters C. Longitudinal Training and Workload Assessment in Young Friesian Stallions in Relation to Fitness: Part 1. Animals (Basel) 2023 Feb 16;13(4).
            doi: 10.3390/ani13040689pubmed: 36830476google scholar: lookup
          4. Siegers E, van den Broek J, Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan M, Munsters C. Longitudinal Training and Workload Assessment in Young Friesian Stallions in Relation to Fitness, Part 2-An Adapted Training Program. Animals (Basel) 2023 Feb 14;13(4).
            doi: 10.3390/ani13040658pubmed: 36830445google scholar: lookup
          5. Coelho CS, Silva ASBA, Santos CMR, Santos AMR, Vintem CMBL, Leite AG, Fonseca JMC, Prazeres JMCS, Souza VRC, Siqueira RF, Manso Filho HC, Simões JSA. Training Effects on the Stress Predictors for Young Lusitano Horses Used in Dressage. Animals (Basel) 2022 Dec 6;12(23).
            doi: 10.3390/ani12233436pubmed: 36496958google scholar: lookup
          6. Li J, Huang Z, Si W, Shao T. The Effects of Physical Activity on Positive Emotions in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2022 Oct 30;19(21).
            doi: 10.3390/ijerph192114185pubmed: 36361067google scholar: lookup
          7. de Mira MC, Lamy E, Santos R, Williams J, Pinto MV, Martins PS, Rodrigues P, Marlin D. Salivary cortisol and eye temperature changes during endurance competitions. BMC Vet Res 2021 Oct 14;17(1):329.
            doi: 10.1186/s12917-021-02985-9pubmed: 34649565google scholar: lookup
          8. de Vries JD, Bakker AB. The physical activity paradox: a longitudinal study of the implications for burnout. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 2022 Jul;95(5):965-979.
            doi: 10.1007/s00420-021-01759-ypubmed: 34611746google scholar: lookup
          9. Cappelli K, Amadori M, Mecocci S, Miglio A, Antognoni MT, Razzuoli E. Immune Response in Young Thoroughbred Racehorses under Training. Animals (Basel) 2020 Oct 5;10(10).
            doi: 10.3390/ani10101809pubmed: 33027949google scholar: lookup
          10. Ferlazzo A, Cravana C, Fazio E, Medica P. The different hormonal system during exercise stress coping in horses. Vet World 2020 May;13(5):847-859.
            doi: 10.14202/vetworld.2020.847-859pubmed: 32636578google scholar: lookup
          11. Trindade PHE, Hartmann E, Keeling LJ, Andersen PH, Ferraz GC, Paranhos da Costa MJR. Effect of work on body language of ranch horses in Brazil. PLoS One 2020;15(1):e0228130.
            doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0228130pubmed: 31990951google scholar: lookup
          12. Bohák Z, Harnos A, Joó K, Szenci O, Kovács L. Anticipatory response before competition in Standardbred racehorses. PLoS One 2018;13(8):e0201691.
            doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0201691pubmed: 30071079google scholar: lookup
          13. Spencer RL, Deak T. A users guide to HPA axis research. Physiol Behav 2017 Sep 1;178:43-65.
            doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2016.11.014pubmed: 27871862google scholar: lookup
          14. Cravana C, Medica P, Fazio E, Satué K, Brancato G, La Fauci D, Bruschetta G. Circulating ACTH and Cortisol Investigations in Standardbred Racehorses Under Training and Racing Sessions. Vet Sci 2025 May 19;12(5).
            doi: 10.3390/vetsci12050493pubmed: 40431586google scholar: lookup
          15. Souza LA, Hunka MM, Rezende Júnior SF, Silva CJFLD, Manso HECDCC, Simões J, Coelho CS, Fazio F, Aragona F, Manso Filho HC. Potential use of beet-pulp concentrate supplementation in athletic horse. Heliyon 2025 Jan 15;11(1):e40961.
            doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e40961pubmed: 39758378google scholar: lookup
          16. Zeng Z, Zhou Y, Li L. Acute mountain sickness predicts the emotional state of amateur mountaineers. Sci Rep 2024 Feb 27;14(1):4799.
            doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-55291-3pubmed: 38413690google scholar: lookup
          Subscribe to our newsletter
          Join 100,129 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.