Regular moderate intensity physical activity and blood concentrations of endogenous anabolic hormones and thyroid hormones in aging men.
BACKGROUND
Physical activity has been reported to affect endocrine function in elderly men.


OBJECTIVE
To establish an association between regular moderate physical activity and endogenous anabolic hormone levels in healthy aging men.


METHODS
Twenty four middle-aged (57.4+/-4.7 years) and 24 elderly (68.3+/-2.6 years) physically active men who in the past 10 years had been regularly bicycling during leisure time were compared with 24 middle-aged (57.9+/-4.0 years) and 24 elderly (67.2+/-1.7 years) sedentary men. Groups did not differ for body composition.


METHODS
Serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-1), free testosterone (FT), and thyroid hormone levels were assessed.


RESULTS
In general, elderly men had lower IGF-1 (P<0.001), DHEAS (P=0.013), and triodothyronine levels (P<0.001) than their middle-aged counterparts. Independently of age, however, physically active men had on average higher IGF-1 (P=0.031), DHEAS (P=0.001), and triodothyronine serum levels (P<0.001) than sedentary men. FT and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) serum concentrations did not differ across age groups, but physically active men had lower TSH values than sedentary men (P=0.021).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that, in aging men, regular moderate physical activity is associated with higher levels of IGF-1 and DHEAS levels and with thyroid function alterations.
Ravaglia
G
G
Department of Internal Medicine, Cardioangiology, and Hepatology, University Hospital S. Orsola-Malpighi, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy. ravaglia@almadns.unibo.it
Forti
P
P
Maioli
F
F
Pratelli
L
L
Vettori
C
C
Bastagli
L
L
Mariani
E
E
Facchini
A
A
Cucinotta
D
D
D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology*; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D013963:Thyroid Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000097:blood
D006728:Hormones; D013963:Thyroid Hormones; D014284:Triiodothyronine; D013739:Testosterone; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I