Gender-, age-, body composition- and training workloaddependent differences of GH response to a disciplinespecific training session in elite athletes: A study on the field

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Abstract
Ninety-nine Italian elite athletes (61 M, 38 F, mean age±SE: 24.1±0.6 yr, age range: 17–47 yr) of different disciplines volunteered to participate in this investigation. Basal GH concentrations were significantly higher (pIGF-I levels. Among female athletes, 8/38 had basal GH values higher than 10 ng/ml [2/8 athletes were taking oral contraceptives (OC)], while among males 6/61 had values higher than 5 ng/ml. In females, training sessions significantly increased (pIGF-I levels; 2) GH peaks after a discipline-specific training session were significantly higher in females than in males performing the same discipline, gender-related differences disappearing when post-exercise total GH outputs (area under the curve) were compared; 3) peak GH values were directly correlated with training workload; 4) GH concentrations rapidly declined during recovery, values at the end of the post-training GH sampling being generally lower than those found in basal condition.