Circulating growth hormone, cortisol and testosterone in relation to vitamin D status: influence of lower and upper body wingate anaerobic test in elite artistic gymnasts.

Background and study aim: It is well known that professional physical training may be one of the factors modifying s circulating serum level of growth hormone, testosterone and cortisol. However, the effect of high-intensity upper and lower body Wingate Anaerobic Test (WAnT) on the serum hormone levels in association to vitamin D status still remains unspecified. The aim of the current study was to verify hypotheses that a longstanding background in elite gymnastics training induces adaptive changes in hormonal homeostasis during upper- and lower-body WAnT, and that these changes are modulated by muscle group engagement and vitamin D status.

Materials and methods: Fifteen elite male artistic gymnasts (21.3 ± 3.4 years-old) and 14 physically active men (the control group, 20.2 ± 1.1) voluntarily participated in this study. Blood was collected using venipuncture procedures (antecubital vein) in tree timepoints: before, immediately and 60 min after WAnT. Hormone measurements consisted of levels of free human growth hormone (hGH), testosterone and cortisol in blood serum. Measurement was made using chemiluminescence method. Vitamin D active metabolites, 25-hydroxyvitamin D₂ [25(OH)D₂] and 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ [25(OH)D₃], as a proportion of the total serum concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], were analysed using the commercially available Total 25OH Vitamin D ELISA kits.

Results: Significantly higher performance during upper-body WAnT were observed in professional gymnasts' groups, for mean power normalized to body mass. Furthermore, gymnasts showed higher serum concentration for hGH, and testosterone immediately after upper-body WAnT. An inverse relationship was observed in cortisol, whose concentration changes were greater in the control group. Additionally, in control group, baseline vitamin D positively correlated with cortisol changes post lower-body WAnT but negatively with testosterone changes immediately after lower-body WAnT.

Conclusions: Gymnastic training affects anaerobic performance and hormonal status by altering the serum concentrations of hGH, cortisol, and testosterone in response to anaerobic exercise. Moreover, hormonal status is associated with vitamin D concentration, and shows its significant regulating properties in post exercises response.