FITNESS & YOUR HORMONES
Physical fitness plays an important role in improving the quality of life and increasing a personal sense of health and wellbeing.
Different types of exercise have different benefits:
Resistance training in women can improve both muscle mass and lean soft tissue and may help maintain testosterone and IGF-1 levels. [1]
A recent study demonstrates that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) reduced cortisol and increased total-testosterone/cortisol-ratio levels significantly in physically inactive adults. [2]
High intensity interval training and continuous endurance training both improve insulin function. [3]
However, the combination of aerobic training (AT) and resistance training (RT) resulted in greater improvements in insulin sensitivity, β-cell function, and glucose effectiveness than either aerobic training (AT) or resistance training (RT) alone. [4]
A conscious effort must be made to achieve and maintain a level of physical fitness to allow your hormones to work properly.
The National Institute on Aging at NIH suggests that an exercise and physical activity program that includes endurance, strength, balance and Flexibility. [5]
Next: Learn about Inflammation & Your Hormones
This article is part of the Educational Module on Hormone Health.
References:
[1] Nascimento MAD, Gerage AM, Silva DRPD, Ribeiro AS, Machado DGDS, Pina FLC, Tomeleri CM, Venturini D, Barbosa DS, Mayhew JL, Cyrino ES. Effect of resistance training with different frequencies and subsequent detraining on muscle mass and appendicular lean soft tissue, IGF-1, and testosterone in older women. Eur J Sport Sci. 2018 Jul 17. PubMed PMID: 30016192.
[2] Velasco-Orjuela GP, Domínguez-Sanchéz MA, Hernández E, Correa-Bautista JE, Triana-Reina HR, García-Hermoso A, Peña-Ibagon JC, Izquierdo M, Cadore EL, Hackney AC, Ramírez-Vélez R. Acute effects of high-intensity interval, resistance or combined exercise protocols on testosterone - cortisol responses in inactive overweight individuals. Physiol Behav. 2018 Oct Epub 2018 Jun 22. PubMed PMID: 29940266.
[3] Safarimosavi S, Mohebbi H, Rohani H. High-Intensity Interval vs. Continuous Endurance Training: Preventive Effects on Hormonal Changes and Physiological Adaptations in Prediabetes Patients. J Strength Cond Res. 2018 Jun 22. PubMed PMID: 29939900.
[4] AbouAssi H, Slentz CA, Mikus CR, Tanner CJ, Bateman LA, Willis LH, Shields AT, Piner LW, Penry LE, Kraus EA, Huffman KM, Bales CW, Houmard JA, Kraus WE. The effects of aerobic, resistance, and combination training on insulin sensitivity and secretion in overweight adults from STRRIDE AT/RT: a randomized trial. J Appl Physiol. 2015 Jun 15. PubMed PMID: 25882384
[5] Go4Life, an exercise and physical activity campaign from the National Institute on Aging at NIH, is designed to help you fit exercise and physical activity into your daily life.