Gonadotropic, sympathetic and neuropeptid hormone levels during training and regeneration of junior cyclists

Background: Aim of the study was to examine training and regeneration in athletes by gonadotrophic (LH, FSH), sympathetical (norepinephrine NA, epinephrine E, Dopamine D) or neuropetidergic (leptin L, inhibin B IB) hormones. Methods: Morning resting blood samples of seven male junior cyclists were taken 2, 4 and 7 weeks after the end of season (EOS). The training load was 435, 226, 183 km/wk for week 2, 4, 7 after EOS, respectively. Results: 10 km time trial was nearly constant (920 s, 920, 905; week 2, 4, 7 after EOS). Basal catecholamine excretion of NE, E, and D decreased first slightly (ns) (NE=75, E=65, D=50 mu g/100 mg of creatinine), then increased after 7 weeks (NE=225, E=125, D=125) (ns). JB increased (ns) from 220 to 250 pg/ml, L from 0.54 to 0.9 ng/ml (week 4 to 7) (ns). The correlation between E in plasma and IB was significant (p=0.04). FSH and L correlated significantly (p=0.05), as well as FSH and D (p=0.004), FSH and E (p=0.003), FSH and LH (p=0.01). Basal NE excretion ( mu g/100 mu g of creatinine) and basal NE excretion (ng/min) correlated significantly (p