Testosterone secretion in elite adolescent swimmers does not modify bone mass acquisition: a 1-year follow-up study.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether high plasma testosterone (T) levels affect areal bone mineral density (aBMD), bone geometry, and bone remodeling in young elite female swimmers (SW).


METHODS
Cross-sectional and 1-year follow-up study.


METHODS
Pediatric endocrinology and gynecology units.


METHODS
Twenty-five SW and 21 control subjects (CON) with breast stages IV or V (mean age 15.3 ± 1.3 y).


METHODS
None.


METHODS
Clinical and biologic parameters, aBMD, and bone geometry.


RESULTS
Two groups of SW were constituted on the basis of total T level. High T level SW (HSW; n = 15) presented higher T than SW with normal T (NSW; n = 10) and CON (0.63 ± 0.17; 0.36 ± 0.07, and 0.38 ± 0.14 ng/mL, respectively). The SHBG level (62.1 ± 18.7 vs. 43.3 ± 19.8 nmol/L) and the LH/FSH ratio (1.7 ± 1.1 vs. 0.9 ± 0.5) were higher, and menstrual disorders (60% vs. 23.8%) were more frequent in HSW than CON, and no difference was observed between the three groups for other sex hormones and insulin-like growth factor (IGF) 1 or IGF-binding protein 3. SW presented lower fat mass in the whole body and higher lean mass in the upper limbs only. aBMD was only modestly increased in the upper limbs in the SW groups, but no other bone-specific differences (aBMD, bone geometry, bone turnover markers) were demonstrated between SW and CON at baseline or for aBMD after 1 year in a subgroup of participants.


CONCLUSIONS
High plasma T levels have no detectable effect on bone mass and bone geometry in SW during the period of peak bone mass acquisition.
Département d'Hormonologie, Hôpital Lapeyronie, CHRU Montpellier et UMI, Montpellier, France.
Laurent
L
Maïmoun
Département d'Hormonologie, Hôpital Lapeyronie, CHRU Montpellier et UMI, Montpellier, France; Direction Régionale de la Jeunesse, des Sports et de la Cohésion Sociale, Montpellier, France.
Olivier
O
Coste
Département d'Hormonologie, Hôpital Lapeyronie, CHRU Montpellier et UMI, Montpellier, France.
Pascal
P
Philibert
Service de Rhumatologie, Hôpital Cochin, APHP Paris, France.
Karine
K
Briot
Centre d'Investigation Clinique et Département d'information Médicale, CHRU Montpellier, Montpellier, France; CIC 1001, INSERM, Montpellier, France.
Thibault
T
Mura
CIC 1001, INSERM, Montpellier, France; Centre d'Investigation Clinique et Département des Maladies Endocriniennes, CHRU Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
Florence
F
Galtier
Département d'Hormonologie, Hôpital Lapeyronie, CHRU Montpellier et UMI, Montpellier, France.
Barbara
B
Castes-de-Paulet
Service de Médecine Nucléaire, Hôpital Lapeyronie, CHRU Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
Denis
D
Mariano-Goulart
Département d'Hormonologie, Hôpital Lapeyronie, CHRU Montpellier et UMI, Montpellier, France; Unité d'Endocrinologie et Gynécologie Pédiatrique, Hôpital A. de Villeneuve, CHRU Montpellier et UMI, Montpellier, France. Electronic address: c-sultan@chu-montpellier.fr.
Charles
C
Sultan
Département d'Hormonologie, Hôpital Lapeyronie, CHRU Montpellier et UMI, Montpellier, France; Unité d'Endocrinologie et Gynécologie Pédiatrique, Hôpital A. de Villeneuve, CHRU Montpellier et UMI, Montpellier, France.
Françoise
F
Paris
D000293:Adolescent; D056352:Athletes; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology*; D016723:Bone Remodeling / Q000502:physiology*; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 / Q000097:blood; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000378:metabolism; D013550:Swimming; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*
D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D013739:Testosterone; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone