Serum hormones during prolonged training of neuromuscular performance.

The effects of a 24-weeks' progressive training of neuromuscular performance capacity on maximal strength and on hormone balance were investigated periodically in 21 male subjects during the course of the training and during a subsequent detraining period of 12 weeks. Great increases in maximal strength were noted during the first 20 weeks, followed by a plateau phase during the last 4 weeks of training. Testosterone/cortisol ratio increased during training. During the last 4 weeks of training changes in maximal strength correlated with the changes in testosterone/cortisol (P less than 0.01) and testosterone/SHBG (P less than 0.05) ratios. During detraining, correlative decreases were found between maximal strength and testosterone/cortisol ratio (P less than 0.05) as well as between the maximal strength and testosterone/SHBG ratio (P less than 0.05). No statistically significant changes were observed in the levels of serum estradiol, lutropin (LH), follitropin (FSH), prolactin, and somatotropin. The results suggest the importance of the balance between androgenic-anabolic activity and catabolizing effects of glucocorticoids during the course of vigorous strength training.