Serum sex hormone-binding globulin and cortisol concentrations are associated with overreaching during strenuous military training

J Strength Cond Res. 2011 Mar;25(3):787-97. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181c1fa5d.

Abstract

The purpose was (a) to study the effect of an 8-week Finnish military basic training period (BT) on physical fitness, body composition, mood state, and serum biochemical parameters among new conscripts; (b) to determine the incidence of overreaching (OR); and (c) to evaluate whether initial levels or training responses differ between OR and noOR subjects. Fifty-seven males (19.7 ± 0.3 years) were evaluated before and during BT. Overreaching subjects had to fulfill 3 of 5 criteria: decreased aerobic physical fitness (VO2max), increased rating of perceived exertion (RPE) in 45-minute submaximal test at 70% of VO2max or sick absence from these tests, increased somatic or emotional symptoms of OR, and high incidence of sick absence from daily service. VO2max improved during the first 4 weeks of BT. During the second half of BT, a stagnation of increase in VO2max was observed, basal serum sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) increased, and insulin-like growth factor-1 and cortisol decreased. Furthermore, submaximal exercise-induced increases in cortisol, maximum heart rate, and postexercise increase in blood lactate were blunted. Of 57 subjects, 33% were classified as OR. They had higher basal SHBG before and after 4 and 7 weeks of training and higher basal serum cortisol at the end of BT than noOR subjects. In addition, in contrast to noOR, OR subjects exhibited no increase in basal testosterone/cortisol ratio but a decrease in maximal La/RPE ratio during BT. As one-third of the conscripts were overreached, training after BT should involve recovery training to prevent overtraining syndrome from developing. The results confirm that serum SHBG, cortisol, and testosterone/cortisol and maximal La/RPE ratios could be useful tools to indicate whether training is too strenuous.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Affect / physiology
  • Body Composition / physiology
  • Cumulative Trauma Disorders / blood*
  • Heart Rate / physiology
  • Humans
  • Hydrocortisone / blood*
  • Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / physiology
  • Lactic Acid / blood
  • Male
  • Military Personnel*
  • Oxygen Consumption / physiology
  • Physical Endurance / physiology
  • Physical Exertion / physiology
  • Physical Fitness / physiology*
  • Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / analysis*
  • Testosterone / blood
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin
  • Lactic Acid
  • Testosterone
  • Insulin-Like Growth Factor I
  • Hydrocortisone