Adrenocortical Response to Marathon Running STEPHEN R. NEWMARK, THEP HIMATHONGKAM, RANDOLPH P. MARTIN, KENNETH H. COOPER, AND LESLIE I. ROSE The Endocrine-Metabolic Unit, Department of Medicine, Peter Bent Brigham Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; and the Institute for Aerobics Research, Dallas, Texas the adrenal cortex to physical exertion. Both cortisol and aldosterone values rose significantly in response to the stress of the muscular exertion of the 26 mile, 385 yard run. (J Clin Endocrinol Metab 42:393,1976)
ABSTRACT. Plasma cortisol and plasma aldosterone levels were measured before and immediately upon completion of a marathon run in 7 highly conditioned male subjects in order to evaluate the response of
TABLE 1. Marathon run hormonal changes
T
HE RESPONSE of the adrenal cortex to muscular exertion is poorly understood. Studies in animals imply increased glucocorticoid secretory activity by demonstrating an increased excretion of 17-hydroxycorticosteroids and the presence of hyperplastic adrenal glands in conditioned animals (1,2). Adrenocorticoid studies in exercising humans have yielded confusing and, at times, conflicting results. Some studies show an elevation in plasma cortisol with muscular exertion, whereas others fail to exhibit any change in plasma cortisol (3-7). The differences in these studies may be more apparent than real, as the physical condition of the subjects, the magnitude and duration of the muscular stress, and the methods of sampling differed. The purpose of this study was to measure levels of plasma cortisol and plasma aldosterone in highly conditioned subjects before and immediately upon completion of the longest Olympicsanctioned run, i.e., the marathon run (26 miles, 385 yards).
Aldosterone (ng/100 ml) Subject 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Mean ± SD P
Before
After
10.0 50.2 11.7 98.7 16.4 111.2 10.2 141.0 30.2 62.3 11.0 71.3 11.0 64.3 14.4 + 7.3 85.6 ± 32.5
ABSTRACT. Plasma cortisol and plasma aldosterone levels were measured before and immediately upon completion of a marathon run in 7 highly conditioned male subjects in order to evaluate the response of
TABLE 1. Marathon run hormonal changes
T
HE RESPONSE of the adrenal cortex to muscular exertion is poorly understood. Studies in animals imply increased glucocorticoid secretory activity by demonstrating an increased excretion of 17-hydroxycorticosteroids and the presence of hyperplastic adrenal glands in conditioned animals (1,2). Adrenocorticoid studies in exercising humans have yielded confusing and, at times, conflicting results. Some studies show an elevation in plasma cortisol with muscular exertion, whereas others fail to exhibit any change in plasma cortisol (3-7). The differences in these studies may be more apparent than real, as the physical condition of the subjects, the magnitude and duration of the muscular stress, and the methods of sampling differed. The purpose of this study was to measure levels of plasma cortisol and plasma aldosterone in highly conditioned subjects before and immediately upon completion of the longest Olympicsanctioned run, i.e., the marathon run (26 miles, 385 yards).
Aldosterone (ng/100 ml) Subject 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Mean ± SD P
Before
After
10.0 50.2 11.7 98.7 16.4 111.2 10.2 141.0 30.2 62.3 11.0 71.3 11.0 64.3 14.4 + 7.3 85.6 ± 32.5
