Effect of eight weeks continuous resistance trainings on levels of cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone to cortisol serum ratio of active young women

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was determination of acute and chronic effects of eight weeks continuous resistance trainings on levels of cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone to cortisol serum ratio of active young women. Fourteen under study subjects of this research were divided to two training and control groups, randomly. The experimental group participated in 8 weeks progressive resistance trainings. Before, immediately then and 2 hr after the first test (48 hr before trainings beginning) and the final one (48 hr after trainings ending), blood samples were taken from the subjects. The control group gave blood samples, only at the beginning and ending of the eight weeks period. In order to investigate variations of under study variables in the continuous group, the variance analysis test with repeated measurements was used. Independent T test was utilized, to compare between the continuous training group and the control one. Also, to investigate changes of under study variants in the control group, T paired test was implemented. Cortisol decreased in a linear manner and significantly, in the training group (P<0.005). Dehydroepiandrosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone to cortisol ratio increased significantly and linearly, in the training group (P<0.005). After 8 weeks trainings, cortisol serum levels of rest time in the training group were significantly less than its levels in the control one, and levels of dehydroepiandrosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone to cortisol serum ratio of rest time in the training group were significantly more than their similar levels in the control one (P<0.005). It’s recommend that active young women come to the continuous resistance exercises to improve their physical readiness. Rather researches about various kinds of resistance exercises are required.