Abstract

During the 1987-1988 pre-Olympic season six elite female rowers were subjected to a regular (ten times) investigation of changes in the rest values of the following hormones: Total Testosterone (T), Free Testosterone (FT), and Cortisol (C). The ratio between FT and C (FTCR) was also calculated. At each investigation the subjects performed an exercise test on a rowing ergometer (REM). During this test a lactate-power curve was constructed from which the power at 4.0 mM lactate (P4.0) was calculated and the maximal power (PM) was registered. Training load was analysed in terms of kilometers rowed (RKM) and the amount of minutes of training per day (MIN). With regard to a reference value at relative rest conditions both the levels of T (35-60) and FT (30-75) decreased significantly during a period of heavy training. The FTCR, however, did not show any significant changes, although the level of C showed both an increase and a decrease (20-30 ). With a sudden increase in RKM and MIN, there appeared a paradox; a rise in RKM resulted in hormonal changes which shifted the metabolism in a catabolic direction and a rise in MIN resulted in hormonal changes with a shift of the metabolism in anabolic direction. Verf.-Referat