title: Salivary free insulin-like growth factor-i levels: effects of an acute physical exercise in athletes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The offer of human saliva IGF-I (sIGF-I) measurement in athletes investigation is a new proposal. The aim was to investigate the physical exercise effect on sIGF-I and explore plasma free IGF-I relation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Saliva and blood were collected from well-trained athletes, investigated immediately before and at the end of a physical exercise test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  sIGF-I was significantly increased at the end of the physical exercise. The plasma free IGF-I concentrations did not demonstrate any difference. The saliva total protein level (sTP) was also significantly increased. A positive correlation between sTP and sIGF-I, was observed, both before and after physical exercise, and between salivary and plasma free IGF-I only after physical exercise. The salivary free IGF-I level significantly increased after physical exercise, moreover a correlation with the plasma levels exists in post-exercise condition.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The physical exercise affects sIGF-I as well as the sTP. The correlation between plasma and salivary free IGF-I levels only in post-exercise condition suggests further studies to investigate the effects of different type and duration of physical exercise. The comparison with other salivary biochemical parameter investigation would also further increase comprehension on the role of salivary IGF-I.
authors.affiliation: Section of Clinical Biochemistry, Department of Medical Diagnostic Sciences and Sp. Ther, University of Padua, 35121 Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Antonelli
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gatti
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Prearo
authors.forename: E F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: De Palo