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Horm Metab Res 2006; 38(11): 752-757
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-955087
Original Clinical

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Ghrelin Response to Acute Aerobic Exercise in Boys at Different Stages of Puberty

T. Pomerants 1 , V. Tillmann 2 , K. Karelson 3 , J. Jürimäe 1 , T. Jürimäe 1
  • 1Chair of Sport Pedagogy, Centre of Behavioral and Health Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
  • 2Department of Pediatrics, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
  • 3Chair of Sport Physiology, Centre of Behavioral and Health Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
Further Information

Publication History

Received 3 April 2006

Accepted after revision 26 June 2006

Publication Date:
16 November 2006 (online)

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in serum ghrelin and leptin concentrations during acute aerobic cycle ergometer test in 60 boys at different pubertal stages. Boys were divided according to their pubertal status as group I (Tanner stage 1, n=20), group II (Tanner stages 2 and 3, n=20) and group 3 (Tanner stages 4 and 5, n=20). Maximal oxygen consumption and individual ventilatory threshold of the subjects were measured directly using stepwise increasing loads on cycle ergometer. Second exercise test consisted of a 30 minute constant load exercise on the same ergometer at the level of ∼95% of the individual ventilatory threshold. Venous blood samples were obtained before, immediately after and after 30 minutes of recovery for the measurement of serum ghrelin, leptin, testosterone and insulin. At baseline, prepubertal children had significantly higher values for serum ghrelin compared to the groups II and III. Acute exercise altered significantly only insulin concentration. In all the groups, the maximal oxygen consumption/kg correlated positively with basal levels of testosterone (r=0.60, p<0.001) and insulin (r=0.34), and negatively to ghrelin (r=-0.35) and leptin (r=-0.32) (p<0.05). We conclude that moderate acute aerobic exercise does not change serum ghrelin or leptin level in boys at different pubertal stages.

Key words

Leptin - sexual maturation - adolescence - ergometer - ghrelin

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Correspondence

Prof. Toivo Jürimäe

Chair of Sport Pedagogy·University of Tartu

Jakobi 5

51014 Tartu

Estonia

Phone: +372/737/53 72

Fax: +372/737/53 73

Email: toivo.jurimae@ut.ee