The importance of adrenal glands in the improved adaptation of trained animals to physical exertion.

The importance of adrenal glands in the adaptation of rats to physical exertion was studied. Exercise training, significantly increased the working ability and prevented the water accumulation in myocardial cells during acute exertion. The latter shift was characteristic of untrained animals. However, adrenalectomy abolished the benefical effect of training on working ability and myocardial adaptation to exertion. The results obtained supported the view that the effect of training is partly mediated through the improved adrenocortical function while adrenal hormones, by regulating the heart metabolism and function, significantly influenced the adaptation of rats to physical exertion.