Elite Youth Cycling

Abstract

In the scientific literature, testosterone is regarded as the primary stimulator of anabolic processes in the skeletal muscle. Longitudinal growth is accompanied by increases in mineralization of bone tissue, which is associated with an increased resilience and stiffness of the skeletal system. Changes in the body constitution of children and adolescents of both genders in the context of development are essentially controlled by the endocrine system. Growth hormone, which is produced in the anterior pituitary gland, is a peptide hormone. Both genders display considerable weight gains during childhood and adolescence, which is pronounced in boys because of the larger relative muscle mass and body height. Besides muscle mass, changes in fiber type composition influence the level of performance in children and adolescents. Physical activities with high mechanical demands, such as strength training or sports with lots of jumping, have a pronounced positive effect on bone structure development compared to activities that induce less mechanical stress.