Combined effects of androgen anabolic steroids and physical activity on the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis

•Distinction of training/doping effects by hormone analytics in male humans possible.•Inhibin B is a sensitive marker for of anabolic substances uptake in male humans.•Anabolic steroids and SARM S-1 decrease prostate weight in intact male rats.•Anabolic steroids and SARM S-1 increase skeletal muscle mass in intact male rats. Analysing effects of pharmaceutical substances and training on feedback mechanisms of the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis may be helpful to quantify the benefit of strategies preventing loss of muscle mass, and in the fight against doping. In this study we analysed combined effects of anabolic steroids and training on the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis. Therefore intact male Wistar rats were dose-dependently treated with metandienone, estradienedione and the selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM) S-1. In serum cortisol, testosterone, 17β-estradiol (E2), prolactin, inhibin B, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), and thyroxine (T4) concentrations were determined. Six human volunteers were single treated with 1-androstenedione. In addition abusing and clean body builders were analysed. Serum concentrations of inhibin B, IGF-1, cortisol, prolactin, T4, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), testosterone and LH were determined. In rats, administration of metandienone, estradienedione and S-1 resulted in an increase of muscle fiber diameter. Metandienone and estradienedione but not S-1 administration significantly decreases LH and inhibin B serum concentration. Administration of estradienedione resulted in an increase of E2 and S-1 in an increase of cortisol. Single administration of 1-androstenedione in humans decreased cortisol and inhibin B serum concentrations. LH was not affected. In abusing body builders a significantly decrease of LH, TSH and inhibin B and an increase of prolactin, IGF-1 and T4 was detected. In clean body builders only T4 and TSH were affected.