title: The effect of a 10-week Nordic walking training program on the level of GH and LH in elderly women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine the effect of a 10-week Nordic walking training program on resting growth hormone (GH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) blood concentrations and their relationships to the values of inflammatory, metabolic, and muscle injury parameters in postmenopausal women with overweight and obesity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-two postmenopausal women with overweight or obesity (body mass index 30.5 ± 4.1 kg/m(2)), aged 59.6 ± 5.9 years were included in the investigation. Concentrations of GH, LH, C-reactive protein, total cholesterol, low density (LDL) and high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, triglycerides and albumin, as well as the plasma activity of muscle enzymes such as creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase, were examined before and after the participants finished a 10-week Nordic walking rehabilitation program.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After a 10-week rehabilitation period in accordance with a Nordic walking program, significant increases in blood concentrations of GH (median 47.5%) and HDL cholesterol (on average by 0.1%) as well as a decrease in LH values (on average by 19%), total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides (all on a similar average by between 0.1 and 0.2%), creatine kinase (on average by 14%), lactate dehydrogenase (on average by 4%), C-reactive protein (on average by 24%), and body mass index (on average by 5.7%) were found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nordic walking for postmenopausal women with overweight and obesity led to favorable hormonal responses, as well as improvement in muscle integrity and nutritional and inflammatory states, suggesting chronic, regular exercise as an effective tool in protecting against menopause-related catabolic processes.
authors.affiliation: a Chair of Clinical Neuropsychology, Faculty of Health Sciences , Poland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hagner-Derengowska
authors.affiliation: b * Chair and Clinic of Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences , Poland.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kałużny
authors.affiliation: b * Chair and Clinic of Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences , Poland.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hagner
authors.affiliation: b * Chair and Clinic of Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences , Poland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Plaskiewicz
authors.affiliation: c Chair of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Clinic of Metabolic Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine , Poland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bronisz
authors.affiliation: a Chair of Clinical Neuropsychology, Faculty of Health Sciences , Poland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Borkowska
authors.affiliation: d Chair of Vascular and Internal Diseases, Faculty of Health Sciences, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń , Poland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Budzyński
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000097:blood; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000097:blood; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D064797:Physical Conditioning, Human / Q000502:physiology*; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000097:blood; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000378:metabolism; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D012709:Serum Albumin; D014280:Triglycerides; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D013006:Growth Hormone; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D003402:Creatine Kinase
keywords: EXERCISE; GROWTH HORMONE; HORMONAL RESPONSE; INFLAMMATION; LUTEINIZING HORMONE; NORDIC WALKING