title: GH responses to a near-maximal exercise training session on-the-field in cyclists.
abstract: Acute plasma GH response to prolonged (1 h) near-maximal exercise was studied in 7 elite cyclists (6 males, 1 female; mean age +/- SE: 24.9 +/- 1.4 yr) during a routine training session on an uphill track (length: 22.0 km, average slope: 4.39%) and during a recovery (REC) period of 60 min from the end of exercise. The training session entailed a warming-up (WARM) phase of about 20 min at 63% of individual maximal heart rate (HRmax) followed by a high intensity exercise (HIE) phase of about 60 min at 90-92% of HRmax. GH resting values averaged 0.2 +/- 0.06 ng/ml; average GH concentration attained a maximal value (21.5 +/- 3.3 ng/ml, range: 11.0-38.2 ng/ml) between 20 and 40 min of HIE and significantly decreased thereafter (p=0.01), although exercise intensity was unchanged in the following period (p=0.14). After WARM, GH concentrations were significantly lower than peak values (p=0.05). During REC, GH levels steadily decreased, attaining a value of 2.6 +/- 0.8 ng/ml 60 min after the end of exercise. It was concluded that during prolonged and sustained exercise on-the-field in cyclists, GH value determined at the end of the bout may not correspond to the maximal value, which can be observed after 20 to 40 min of near-maximal exercise.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Bioimaging and Physiology, CNR, Segrate, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Lafortuna
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Marinone
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ottolini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sartorio
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001642:Bicycling / Q000502:physiology*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D019382:Human Growth Hormone