Faculty Collaboration Database

Influence of endogenous opioids on the response of selected hormones to exercise in humans. J Appl Physiol (1985) 1986 Sep;61(3):1051-7

Date

09/01/1986

Pubmed ID

3759744

DOI

10.1152/jappl.1986.61.3.1051

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-0022448439 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   67 Citations

Abstract

To examine the influence of endogenous opioids on the hormonal response to isotonic exercise, eight males were studied 2 h after oral administration of placebo or 50 mg naltrexone, a long-lasting opioid antagonist. Venous blood samples were obtained before, during, and after 30 min of bicycle exercise at 70% VO2max. Naltrexone had no effect on resting cardiovascular, endocrine, or serum variables. During exercise epinephrine was higher [mean 433 +/- 100 (SE) pg/ml] at 30 min with naltrexone than during placebo (207 +/- 26 pg/ml, P less than 0.05). Plasma norepinephrine showed the same trend but the difference (2,012 +/- 340 pg/ml with naltrexone and 1,562 +/- 241 pg/ml with placebo) was not significant. Plasma glucose was higher at all times with naltrexone. However, the difference was significant only 10 min into recovery from exercise (104.7 +/- 4.7 vs. 94.5 +/- 2.8 mg/dl). Plasma growth hormone and cortisol increased during recovery and these elevations were significantly (P less than 0.05) augmented by naltrexone. Plasma vasopressin and prolactin increased with exercise as did heart rate, blood pressure, lactic acid, and several serum components; these increases were not affected by naltrexone. Psychological tension or anxiety was lower after exercise compared with before and this improved psychological state was not influenced by the naltrexone treatment. These data suggest that exercise-induced activation of the endogenous opioid system may serve to regulate the secretion of several important hormones (i.e., epinephrine) during and after exercise.

Author List

Farrell PA, Gustafson AB, Garthwaite TL, Kalkhoff RK, Cowley AW Jr, Morgan WP

Author

Allen W. Cowley Jr PhD Professor in the Physiology department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adult
Blood Glucose
Catecholamines
Emotions
Endorphins
Growth Hormone
Hormones
Humans
Hydrocortisone
Male
Naltrexone
Physical Exertion