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DOI: 10.1055/s-2004-814342
Acute Exercise has no Effect on Ghrelin Plasma Concentrations
Publication History
Received 26 August 2003
Accepted after revision 4 November 2003
Publication Date:
01 April 2004 (online)
Abstract
Exercise is a potent, dose-dependent stimulus of growth hormone (GH) secretion. The hypothalamic peptides, GH-releasing hormone (GHRH) and somatostatin are regarded as major regulators of this stimulation. The role of the stomach-derived peptide ghrelin, which has been shown to exert strong GH releasing effects, has not been fully characterized yet. We therefore studied GH and ghrelin plasma concentrations in response to graded levels of exercise in eight healthy young volunteers. After determination of their individual maximal exercise capacity, all individuals underwent a treadmill exercise at 50 %, 70 %, and 90 % of maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max) on different days. Maximal GH response to exercise was observed after 40 minutes at 50 % VO2max and after 20 minutes at 70 and 90 % VO2max. GH serum concentrations increased significantly at all three exercise intensities (GH peak concentrations were 5.8 ± 2.3 ng/ml, 12.0 ± 3.2 ng/ml, and 9.8 ± 4.7 ng/ml, respectively). In contrast, ghrelin plasma concentrations remained unchanged at all three workloads. Assuming that the sensitivity of the GH neuroendocrine/metabolic regulation of GH is unaltered, ghrelin does not participate in the regulation of the GH response to exercise in healthy males.
Key words
Exercise intensity - Ghrelin - Growth hormone - VO2max - Workload
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A. Luger, M. D.
Department of Medicine III · Clinical Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism · University of Vienna
Waehringer Guertel 18 - 20 · 1090 Vienna · Austria
Phone: +43(1)40400-4367 ·
Fax: +43(1)40400-57 40
Email: anton.luger@akh-wien.ac.at