Effects of Resistance Training on Serum Cortisol and Dehydroepiandrosterone Levels in Trained Young Women

Background & Objectives: Endocrine hormones, through their anabolic or catabolic function, contribute in body homeostasis. They can be used to assess the physical performance in athletes. This study was performed to determine the resistance training (RT) influences on serum cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone in trained young females. Materials & Methods: The study population consisted of 36 women (20-25 years) divided into 2 experimental groups (A, B) and control group (C). Experimental groups were scheduled to do 8-week incremental RT program, intermittently (A) or continuously (B), through alterations in the prescribed training velocity. Two days before starting and after ending of program, in a testing session of RT with the intensity of 20% one repetition maximum strength, blood samples for measuring cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone were obtained (a pre-post test design). The SPSS version 16 was used for statistical analyses. Results: Serum cortisol of experimental groups showed significant decline (P=0.002 in each group) without significant difference between two groups, while, DHEA and DHEA/Cortisol ratio had significant increase (all P =0.001) with no significant difference between two groups at both stages. Conclusion: With considering the role of RT in establishing an anabolic status following exercise, it seems that young women can use different types of RT to improve their physical performance. This conclusion needs more researches regarding RT.