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.
Publication Date: 2007-11-01 PubMed ID: 17970286DOI: 10.1080/01652176.2007.9695232Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Review
Summary
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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
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Equine Sciences, Medicine Section, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, The Netherlands. e.roelfsema@uu.nl
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
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- 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.
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- 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).
- 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).
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