The effect of strength training on the testosterone level in men

Abstract

Primary objective of this study was to provide the insight into the effects of strength training on the testosterone (TE) level in men, as well as the mechanisms of anabolic effects of testosterone on human muscle apparatus, since it is known that one of the ways to increase muscle strength is through the increase of muscle mass (peripheral factor), and the basis of this process is the effect of TE. The collected data summarize the conclusions of a number of previous studies, out of which larger number of recently, and they relate to the effect of different methods of strength training (H -submaximal effort to failure, S -maximal effort, P -dynamic effort) with equally applied total volume of load, and the effect of different rest periods in strength training on the level of TE in men. The presented results confi rmed the claims that the H method is the most effective and reasonably called 'the method for muscle hypertrophy'. When it comes to rest periods, the ones that last for about 90 seconds proved optimal because this period had most infl uence on the level of lactic acid and catecholamines in blood which are considered to be the key factors for the increased secretion of TE (this hormone was included in a group of stress hormones as well) However, according to many authors, further examinations in this fi eld are necessary in order to determine the causal link with greater certainty.