Cross SectionalHumann = 512019
Basal Hormones and Biochemical Markers as Predictors of Overtraining Syndrome in Male Athletes: The EROS-BASAL Study.
Plain-language summary
This study set out to find hormonal and biochemical markers that could flag overtraining syndrome (OTS) in male athletes. It compared 14 men with OTS to 25 healthy athletes and 12 sedentary men, measuring hormones, muscle enzymes, and immune markers. OTS was marked by lower testosterone, higher estradiol, and signs of muscle strain and immune changes, even though the overtrained and healthy athletes trained the same way. The findings suggest OTS disrupts the body's normal adaptive responses to exercise.
Key findings
- OTS was linked to lower testosterone and higher estradiol compared to healthy athletes.
- Muscle enzymes (creatine kinase) and lactate were higher in OTS, signaling more muscle strain.
- The testosterone-to-estradiol ratio was lower in OTS, even after adjusting for other factors.
- Immune markers like neutrophils were lower in OTS, while lymphocytes were higher than in healthy athletes.
How to analyze the study yourself
- Study type
- Cross-sectional studies compare groups at one point in time, so they can spot patterns but cannot show cause and effect or track changes over time.
- Population
- Men aged 18-50, including athletes and sedentary controls, all with similar BMI ranges.
- Funding
- Not reported
- Takeaway
- This study found that male athletes with overtraining syndrome had lower testosterone, higher estradiol and signs of muscle strain, even though they were training the same amount as the healthy athletes they were compared against. The study looked for markers and did not test any way to treat it, so it describes the state rather than telling you how to get out of it. If your training has gone backwards and fatigue is not lifting despite rest, it is worth reading further into overtraining syndrome before changing anything.