ArticleEuropean journal of applied physiology2013
Response of testosterone to prolonged aerobic exercise during different phases of the menstrual cycle.
Article in European journal of applied physiology, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 27 citations in OpenAlex.
- Effects of exercise on sex steroid hormones (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone) in eumenorrheic females: A systematic to review and meta-analysis.BMC women's health · 2024Pooled it
- Menstrual cycle hormones and oral contraceptives: a multimethod systems physiology-based review of their impact on key aspects of female physiology.Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985) · 2023Pooled it
- Effects of integrated exercise approach on total testosterone levels in eumenorrheic women: a randomized controlled trial.Scientific reports · 2025Trial
- Knee Laxities Changes with Sex-steroids throughout the Menstrual Cycle Phases in Athlete and Non-athlete Females.Revista brasileira de ortopedia · 2024Article
- Linking Physical Activity to Breast Cancer via Sex Hormones, Part 1: The Effect of Physical Activity on Sex Steroid Hormones.Cancer epidemiology, biomarkers & prevention : a publication of the American Association for Cancer Research, cosponsored by the American Society of Preventive Oncology · 2022Review
- The Specificities of Elite Female Athletes: A Multidisciplinary Approach.Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2021Review
- A Combined Approach for Health Assessment in Adolescent Endurance Runners.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2021Article
- A 10-Week Block of Combined High-Intensity Endurance and Strength Training Produced Similar Changes in Dynamic Strength, Body Composition, and Serum Hormones in Women and Men.Frontiers in sports and active living · 2020Article
- Testosterone reduces knee passive range of motion and expression of relaxin receptor isoforms via 5α-dihydrotestosterone and androgen receptor binding.International journal of molecular sciences · 2014Article
- Sex-steroid regulation of relaxin receptor isoforms (RXFP1 & RXFP2) expression in the patellar tendon and lateral collateral ligament of female WKY rats.International journal of medical sciences · 2014Article
- Effect of Menstrual Cycle Phase on Perceived Exertion During Aerobic Exercise in Eumenorrheic Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.Journal of women's & pelvic health physical therapyArticle
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposeTo examine the androgen response to exercise in women under conditions of high (H) and low (L) estrogen (E2) levels.
methodsTen exercise trained eumenorrheic women (mean ± SD: 20.0 ± 2.2 years, 58.7 ± 8.3 kg, 22.3 ± 4.9 % body fat, VO2max = 50.7 ± 9.0 mL/kg/min) completed a 60 min treadmill run at ~70 % of VO2max during both the mid-follicular (L-E2, 69.7 ± 7.3 % VO2max) and mid-luteal (H-E2, 67.6 ± 7.9 % VO2max) phases of their menstrual cycle. Blood samples were taken pre-exercise (PRE), immediately post (POST), and 30 min into recovery (30R) from exercise and analyzed for total testosterone using ELISA assays. Results were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA.
resultsTestosterone responses were (mean ± SD: L-E2, pre = 1.41 ± 0.21, post = 1.86 ± 0.21, 30R = 1.75 ± 0.32 nmol/L; H-E2, pre = 1.27 ± 0.23, post = 2.43 ± 0.56, 30R = 1.69 ± 0.34 nmol/L). Statistical analysis indicated no significant interaction existed between high and low estrogen conditions across the blood sampling times (p = 0.138). However, a main effect occurred for exercise (p < 0.004) with the post-testosterone concentration being greater than pre, although pre vs. 30R was not different (p > 0.05). All testosterone hormonal concentrations immediately post-exercise greatly exceeded the level of hemoconcentration observed during the L-E2 and H-E2 exercise sessions.
conclusionsProlonged aerobic exercise induces short-term elevations in testosterone in trained eumenorrheic women, which appears unrelated to estrogen levels and menstrual cycle phase. These increases may occur due to either increased androgen production and/or decreased degradation rates of the hormone, and are not solely the result of plasma fluid shifts from the exercise.
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