Thesis
The administration of testosterone enanthate to weight training males: its effects on muscular function, body composition, general health, mood, behaviour and the endocrine system
Southern Cross University, School of Exercise Science and Sport Management
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Southern Cross University
2001
Metrics
45 Record Views
Abstract
Objective
The work of this thesis was conducted to determine the effects of the anabolic androgenic steroid testosterone enanthate (TE) on muscular strength, muscular power, musculotendinous stiffness, body composition, urinary hormone concentrations, the T/E ratio, general health, mood and behaviour during and following its usage.
Design, Setting and Participants
The study was a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled intervention. Twenty-one currently weight training male subjects between the ages of 19 and 43 completed the study.
Intervention
Subjects were randomly assigned to either a 3.5 mg/kg-1 body weight (BWT) testosterone enanthate or saline placebo group where they were given weekly injections for 12-weeks, while undertaking a supervised weight training program. A 12-week controlled follow-up phase with continued supervised weight training allowed the unique investigation of the changes that occurred after the anabolic steroid was removed.
Measures
One repetition maximal squat (SQ), 1 repetition maximal bench press (BP), 30 m sprint (10 m, 20 m, and flying 20 m), 6 second cycle, counter-movement jump (CMJ) and static 120° jump, lower body muscular stiffness assessment, circumference measures, skinfolds, body weight, ultrasonic measures of muscle morphology, general health/medical assessment, unnary testosterone (T) and epitestosterone (E) concentrations and T/E ratios, a number of psychological instruments assessing mood and behaviour.
Conclusions
The results of this study showed that when intramuscular injections of TE were combined with weight training there were significant (p<0.05) changes in maximal strength, sprint times, musculotendinous stiffness, muscular size, body weight and certain skinfold lX measurements. However, no changes were seen between the placebo group and TE group for the CMJ, static 120° jump and 6 s cycle test. Furthermore, the TE dosage of 3.5 mg/kg-1 BWT induced some changes in health including increases in blood pressure and changes to mood and behaviour. Interestingly, at the end of the controlled follow-up the only differences between the groups were recorded in the 30 m sprint and abdominal adipose levels. Finally, the use of TE resulted in an increase in testosterone concentrations, decrease in epitestosterone concentrations and an increase in the T/E ratio. The increase in the T /E ratio occurred during the significant changes to various performance and body composition measures, suggesting a possible relationship between improvements in certain performances and increases in the T/E ratio. However, this was not always the case as both the decreases in sprint times and abdomen adipose levels remained three months after the cessation of the steroid; when the T /E ratios had returned to baseline. This controlled study lends weight to the evidence suggesting anabolic androgenic steroids can improve various performance factors, perturb hormonal concentrations, while causing various side effects.
Details
- Title
- The administration of testosterone enanthate to weight training males: its effects on muscular function, body composition, general health, mood, behaviour and the endocrine system
- Creators
- Anthony Giorgi
- Contributors
- Robert Weatherby (Supervisor) - Southern Cross UniversityGreg Wilson (Supervisor) - Southern Cross University
- Awarding Institution
- Southern Cross University; Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
- Theses
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Southern Cross University
- Publisher
- Southern Cross University, School of Exercise Science and Sport Management
- Number of pages
- xvii, 360
- Identifiers
- 991012915700002368
- Copyright
- © Anthony Giorgi 2001
- Academic Unit
- School of Health and Human Sciences
- Resource Type
- Thesis