Anabolic hormone profiles in elite military men

Abstract

We recently characterized the awakening responses and daily profiles of the catabolic stress hormone cortisol in elite military men. Anabolic hormones follow a similar daily pattern and may counteract the catabolic effects of cortisol. This companion report is the first to characterize daily profiles of anabolic hormones dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and testosterone in this population. Overall, the men in this study displayed anabolic hormone profiles comparable to that of healthy, athletic populations. Consistent with the cortisol findings in our prior report, summary parameters of magnitude (hormone output) within the first hour after awakening displayed superior stability versus summary parameters of pattern for both DHEA (r range: 0.77-0.82) and testosterone (r range: 0.62-0.69). Summary parameters of evening function were stable for the two hormones (both p<0.001), while the absolute decrease in testosterone across the day was a stable proxy of diurnal function (p<0.001). Removal of noncompliant subjects did not appreciably affect concentration estimates for either hormone at any time point, nor did it alter the repeatability of any summary parameter. The first of its kind, this report enables accurate estimations of anabolic balance and resultant effects upon health and human performance in this highly resilient yet chronically stressed population.

Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid Use in Sports, Health, and Society

“…Anabolic-androgenic steroids use has been examined extensively in various chapters, books, meta-analyses, and reviews (5–12). The effects of testicular extracts and castration on animals and humans have been a source of fascination for thousands of years (13,14). Suggestions that the consumption of testis tissue could improve impotence were noted ~140 BC (13).…”

“…Suggestions that the consumption of testis tissue could improve impotence were noted ~140 BC (13). The mid 1700s to late 1800s marked a time where interest in testicular endocrinology increased (14). Table 3 depicts a brief historical timeline of some key events in AAS use in athletes.…”

New Morphofunctional Criteria for Resistance Profile in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Models as Adrenal Dysfunction Trigger

“…Similar decrease in testosterone level was detected in combatants diagnosed with severe PTSD [ 14 , 15 ]. Moreover, the reduction of testosterone level, the major anabolic hormone, is normally related to the risk of coronary artery disease and other cardiovascular disorders [ 16 , 17 ].…”

“…It is known that the adrenal glands are enveloped by a fibrous capsule consisting of bundles of collagen and elastic fibers, several layers of fibrocytes and smooth muscle cells parallel to the outer gland surface. It is thought that the adrenal capsule contains stem/progenitor cells capable of producing gonadal-like cells [ 16 ]. PTSD modeling in our research detected the thinning adrenal capsule in rats resistant and sensitive to stress compared to the control ones.…”

Stabilization of Salivary Biomarkers

“…Trifluoroacetate is another additive that has been proved to be effective in stabilizing salivary progesterone, as it can act against microbial exoenzymes . Current literature suggests that the best general approach to stabilize cortisol, − testosterone, − estradiol, and progesterone contained in saliva consist in freezing the samples at −20 °C within 24 h from the collection, and analyzing them in 28 days (Figure a). Multiple freeze–thawing cycles should be avoided, especially during the evaluation of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), estradiol, and progesterone …”