The Effect of Steroid Hormones on the Physical Performance of Boys and Girls During an Olympic Weightlifting Competition.
To examine the steroid hormone effect on the physical performance of young athletes during an Olympic weightlifting competition.



26 boys and 26 girls were monitored across 2 weightlifting competitions. Pre- and post-competition testosterone (T), cortisol (C) and dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEA-s) were measured in blood, with pre-event free T (FT) and the free androgen index (FAI) calculated. Body mass (BM) and weightlifting performance were recorded.



The boys had a larger BM, superior performance with more T, FT and a higher FAI than girls (p < .01). Although C (32%) and DHEA-s (8%) levels were elevated across competition, no sex differences in hormone reactivity were seen. In boys, DHEA-s correlated with performance (r = .46), but not after controlling for BM (r = .14). For girls, T correlated with performance (r = -0.51) after BM was controlled.



The sex differences that emerge during puberty were observable, whereby the boys were larger and stronger with a more anabolic profile than girls. Individual DHEA-s (boys) and T (girls) levels were related to performance, but BM appeared to be acting as a mediating (boys) or suppressing (girls) variable. This adds new insight regarding the hormonal contribution to competitive performance in young athletes.
1 Institute of Sport - National Research Institute.
Blair
B
Crewther
1 Institute of Sport - National Research Institute.
Zbigniew
Z
Obminski
2 Bangor University.
Christian
C
Cook
D000293:Adolescent; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*; D014891:Weight Lifting / Q000502:physiology*
D013739:Testosterone; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D006854:Hydrocortisone
adrenal; androgen; maturation; neuromuscular; strength