Salivary testosterone measurement does not identify biochemical hypogonadism in aging men: a ROC analysis

Salivary hormone concentrations and technical-tactical performance indicators in beach volleyball: Preliminary evidence

The present study aimed to investigate (i) differences in salivary testosterone and cortisol concentrations before, during, and after simulated beach volleyball match, depending on match outcome (winning vs. losing); (ii) the relationship between technical-tactical performance indicators in beach volleyball and salivary hormonal concentrations (i.e., testosterone, cortisol). We hypothesized (i) salivary testosterone concentrations would be greater in winners and salivary cortisol would be lower; (ii) testosterone would associate with positive technical-tactical performance and cortisol would associate with negative technical-tactical performance. Sixteen athletes participated in the study and were grouped according to the result of a simulated game (winners: n = 8; losers: n = 8). Salivary hormone concentration of testosterone and cortisol were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (pre-match, post first set, and post-match), and the coefficient of performance and efficiency were used as technical-tactical performance indicators. Regarding testosterone, there was a large effect size for match outcome after the first set (i.e., Winner vs. Losers) and a moderate effect size for the time in winners (pre-match vs. post-match). Regarding cortisol, there was a moderate effect size of time in losers only (pre-match vs. post-match). Moreover, cortisol pre-match was negatively correlated with the offensive performance (attack performance coefficient: r = −0.541; p = 0.030; attack efficiency: r = −0.568; p = 0.022). In conclusion, the effect of match outcome on testosterone and cortisol levels was moderate in winners and losers, respectively. Moreover, resting cortisol concentration appears to be related to a diminished attack technical-tactical performance. However, larger confirmatory studies are required to confirm these data to corroborate winning increases testosterone levels and/or reduces cortisol in a sporting setting.

Effects of Exercise Training on Anabolic and Catabolic Hormones with Advanced Age: A Systematic Review

Background

Ageing is accompanied by decreases in physical capacity and physiological regulatory mechanisms including altered hormonal regulation compared with age-matched sedentary people. The potential benefits of exercise in restoring such altered hormone production and secretion compared to age-matched physically inactive individuals who are ageing remains unclear.

Objectives

The aim of this systematic review was to summarise the findings of exercise training in modulating levels of ostensibly anabolic and catabolic hormones in adults aged > 40 years.

Methods

We searched the following electronic databases (to July 2021) without a period limit: Cochrane Library, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, SPORTDiscus and Web of Science. Additionally, a manual search for published studies in Google Scholar was conducted for analysis of the ‘grey literature’ (information produced outside of traditional commercial or academic publishing and distribution channels). The initial search used the terms ‘ageing’ OR ‘advanced age’ OR ‘old people’ OR ‘older’ OR elderly’ AND ‘anabolic hormones’ OR ‘catabolic hormones’ OR ‘steroid hormones’ OR ‘sex hormones’ OR ‘testosterone’ OR ‘cortisol’ OR ‘insulin’ OR ‘insulin-like growth factor-1’ OR ‘IGF-1’ OR ‘sex hormone-binding globulin’ OR ‘SHBG’ OR ‘growth hormone’ OR ‘hGH’ OR ‘dehydroepiandrosterone’ OR ‘DHEA’ OR ‘dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S)’ AND ‘exercise training’ OR ‘endurance training’ OR ‘resistance training’ OR ‘ strength training’ OR ‘weight-lifting’ OR ‘high-intensity interval training’ OR ‘high-intensity interval exercise’ OR ‘high-intensity intermittent training’ OR ‘high-intensity intermittent exercise’ OR ‘interval aerobic training’ OR ‘interval aerobic exercise’ OR ‘intermittent aerobic training’ OR ‘intermittent aerobic exercise’ OR ‘high-intensity training’ OR ‘high-intensity exercise’ OR ‘sprint interval training’ OR ‘sprint interval exercise’ OR ‘combined exercise training’ OR ‘anaerobic training’. Only eligible full texts in English or French were considered for analysis.

Results

Our search identified 484 records, which led to 33 studies for inclusion in the analysis. Different exercise training programs were used with nine studies using endurance training programs, ten studies examining the effects of high-intensity interval training, and 14 studies investigating the effects of resistance training. Most training programs lasted ≥ 2 weeks. Studies, regardless of the design, duration or intensity of exercise training, reported increases in testosterone, sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), human growth hormone (hGH) or dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) (effect size: 0.19 < d < 3.37, small to very large) in both older males and females. However, there was no consensus on the effects of exercise on changes in cortisol and insulin in older adults.

Conclusion

In conclusion, findings from this systematic review suggest that exercise training increases basal levels of testosterone, IGF-1, SHBG, hGH and DHEA in both male and females over 40 years of age. The increases in blood levels of these hormones were independent of the mode, duration and intensity of the training programs. However, the effects of long-term exercise training on cortisol and insulin levels in elderly people are less clear.

Short-Term Exercise Training Inconsistently Influences Basal Testosterone in Older Men: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: The age-associated decrease in testosterone is one mechanism suggested to accelerate the aging process in males. Therefore, approaches to increase endogenous testosterone may be of benefit. The aim of this paper was to undertake a Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA)-accordant meta-analysis concerning the effect of exercise on total (TT), bioavailable (bio-T), free (free-T), and salivary (sal-T) testosterone in older males. Methods: Databases were searched up to and including 20th February 2018 for the terms "testosterone AND exercise AND aging AND males," "testosterone AND exercise AND old AND males," "testosterone AND training AND aging AND males," and "testosterone AND training AND old AND males". From 1259 originally identified titles, 22 studies (randomized controlled trials; RCTs; n = 9, and uncontrolled trials; UCTs; n = 13) were included which had a training component, participants ≥60 years of age, and salivary or serum testosterone as an outcome measure. Meta-analyses were conducted on change to testosterone following training using standardized difference in means (SDM) and random effects models. Results: The overall SDM for endurance training, resistance training, and interval training was 0.398 (95% CI = 0.034-0.761; P = 0.010), -0.003 (95% CI = -0.330-0.324; P = 0.986), and 0.283 (95% CI = 0.030-0.535; P = 0.028), respectively. Resistance training exhibited a qualitative effect of hormone fraction whereby free-T resulted in the greatest SDM (0.253; 95% CI = -0.043-0.549; P = 0.094), followed by TT (0.028; 95% CI = -0.204-0.260; P = 0.813), and resistance training negatively influenced bio-T (-0.373; 95% CI = -0.789-0.042; P = 0.078). Due to the small number of studies, subgroup analysis was not possible for endurance training and interval training studies. Conclusions: Data from the present investigation suggests that resistance training does not significantly influence basal testosterone in older men. Magnitude of effect was influenced by hormone fraction, even within the same investigation. Aerobic training and interval training did result in small, significant increases in basal testosterone. The magnitude of effect is small but the existing data are encouraging and may be an avenue for further research.

HIIT produces increases in muscle power and free testosterone in male masters athletes

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) improves peak power output (PPO) in sedentary aging men but has not been examined in masters endurance athletes. Therefore, we investigated whether a six-week program of low-volume HIIT would (i) improve PPO in masters athletes and (ii) whether any change in PPO would be associated with steroid hormone perturbations. Seventeen male masters athletes (60 ± 5 years) completed the intervention, which comprised nine HIIT sessions over six weeks. HIIT sessions involved six 30-s sprints at 40% PPO, interspersed with 3 min active recovery. Absolute PPO (799 ± 205 W and 865 ± 211 W) and relative PPO (10.2 ± 2.0 W/kg and 11.0 ± 2.2 W/kg) increased from pre- to post-HIIT respectively (P < 0.001, Cohen's d = 0.32-0.38). No significant change was observed for total testosterone (15.2 ± 4.2 nmol/L to 16.4 ± 3.3 nmol/L (P = 0.061, Cohen's d = 0.32)), while a small increase in free testosterone occurred following HIIT (7.0 ± 1.2 ng/dL to 7.5 ± 1.1 ng/dL pre- to post-HIIT (P = 0.050, Cohen's d = 0.40)). Six weeks' HIIT improves PPO in masters athletes and increases free testosterone. Taken together, these data indicate there is a place for carefully timed HIIT epochs in regimes of masters athletes.

Exercise training improves free testosterone in lifelong sedentary aging men

As the impact of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on systemic hormones in aging men is unstudied to date, we investigated whether total testosterone (TT), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), free testosterone (free-T) and cortisol (all in serum) were altered following HIIT in a cohort of 22 lifelong sedentary (62 ± 2 years) older men. As HIIT requires preconditioning exercise in sedentary cohorts, participants were tested at three phases, each separated by six-week training; baseline (phase A), following conditioning exercise (phase B) and post-HIIT (phase C). Each measurement phase used identical methods. TT was significantly increased following HIIT (~17%; P < 0.001) with most increase occurring during preconditioning (~10%; P = 0.007). Free-T was unaffected by conditioning exercise (P = 0.102) but was significantly higher following HIIT compared to baseline (~4.5%; P = 0.023). Cortisol remained unchanged from A to C (P = 0.138). The present data indicate a combination of preconditioning, and HIIT increases TT and SHBG in sedentary older males, with the HIIT stimulus accounting for a small but statistically significant increase in free-T. Further study is required to determine the biological importance of small improvements in free-T in aging men.

Comparisons between commercial salivary testosterone enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits

INTRODUCTION

Measuring testosterone concentrations is of interest both in clinical situations and for research, the latter expanding rapidly during recent years. An increased demand for convenient methods has prompted a number of companies to develop enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits to measure testosterone concentrations in saliva. However, the inter-comparability of kits from different manufacturers have yet to be determined.

AIM OF STUDY

The aim of this study was to compare commercially available ELISA kits from four different manufacturers (Salimetrics, IBL, DRG and Demeditec).

METHODS

Saliva was collected from 50 participants (25 men and 25 women). Each sample was analysed by the four ELISA kits.

RESULTS

The correlations between the ELISA kits from Demeditec, DRG and Salimetrics were moderate to high with r-values > .77; however, proportional errors between the methods calls for caution. The ELISA kit from IBL malfunctioned and no results from this kit was obtained.

CONCLUSIONS

Results from studies using the ELISA kits from Demeditec, DRG and Salimetrics are generally comparable; however, translation using the formulae presented in the current study could increase the accuracy of these comparisons.

Parallel diurnal fluctuation of testosterone, androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone and 17OHprogesterone as assessed in serum and saliva: validation of a novel liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for salivary steroid profiling

Background:

Salivary androgen testing represents a valuable source of biological information. However, the proper measurement of such low levels is challenging for direct immunoassays, lacking adequate accuracy. In the last few years, many conflicting findings reporting low correlation with the serum counterparts have hampered the clinical application of salivary androgen testing. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) makes it possible to overcome previous analytical limits, providing new insights in endocrinology practice.

Methods:

Salivary testosterone (T), androstenedione (A), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and 17OHprogesterone (17OHP) were extracted from 500µL of saliva, separated in 9.5 min LC-gradient and detected by positive electrospray ionization – multiple reaction monitoring. The diurnal variation of salivary and serum androgens was described by a four paired collection protocol (8 am, 12 am, 4 pm and 8 pm) in 19 healthy subjects.

Results:

The assay allowed the quantitation of T, A, DHEA and 17OHP down to 3.40, 6.81, 271.0 and 23.7 pmol/L, respectively, with accuracy between 83.0 and 106.1% for all analytes. A parallel diurnal rhythm in saliva and serum was observed for all androgens, with values decreasing from the morning to the evening time points. Salivary androgen levels revealed a high linear correlation with serum counterparts in both sexes (T: R>0.85; A: R>0.90; DHEA: R>0.73 and 17OHP: R>0.89; p<0.0001 for all).

Conclusions:

Our LC-MS/MS method allowed a sensitive evaluation of androgen salivary levels and represents an optimal technique to explore the relevance of a comprehensive androgen profile as measured in saliva for the study of androgen secretion modulation and activity in physiologic and pathologic states.