Serum testosterone, growth hormone, and insulin-like growth factor-1 levels, mental reaction time, and maximal aerobic exercise in sedentary and long-term physically trained elderly males

Int J Neurosci. 2004 May;114(5):623-37. doi: 10.1080/00207450490430499.

Abstract

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of regular exercise on maximum oxygen uptake capacity (VO2max), reaction time (RT), testosterone (T), growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) in athletes compared to sedentary controls. VO2max, RT, T, GH, and IGF-I levels were 31.2 +/- 6.2 ml/min/kg, 106.7 +/- 23.2 s, 8.3 +/- 1.3 ng/mL, 1.6 +/- 0.7 ng/mL, 106.5 +/- 27.0 ng/mL in master athlete group and 18.8 +/- 5.1 ml/min/kg, 148.3 +/- 39.3 s, 5.4 +/- 1.7 ng/mL, 0.8 +/- 0.3 ng/mL, 90.2 +/- 23.8 ng/mL in sedentary control group, respectively. The differences between regularly exercising males and the control group of sedentary males were found to be statistically significant. The results showed that long-term exercise decreased RT and increased VO2max, T, and GH in elderly males; elevated serum T and GH levels may be advantageous for brain functions.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Aged
  • Aging / physiology*
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Exercise / physiology*
  • Growth Hormone / blood*
  • Humans
  • Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / metabolism*
  • Linear Models
  • Male
  • Maximal Voluntary Ventilation / physiology
  • Mental Processes / physiology*
  • Middle Aged
  • Oxygen Consumption / physiology
  • Physical Education and Training / methods
  • Radioimmunoassay / methods
  • Reaction Time / physiology*
  • Statistics, Nonparametric
  • Testosterone / blood*

Substances

  • Testosterone
  • Insulin-Like Growth Factor I
  • Growth Hormone