R. Schwab et al., ACUTE EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT INTENSITIES OF WEIGHT-LIFTING ON SERUM TESTOSTERONE, Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 25(12), 1993, pp. 1381-1385
The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effect of moder
ate weight lifting (MWL) and light weight lifting (LWL) on concentrati
ons of serum testosterone in males. Baseline testosterone concentratio
ns were determined via an indwelling catheter in the median cubital ve
in. An initial sample of blood was followed 7 min later by five sample
s taken at 4-min intervals. A final sample was taken 10 min after the
last 4-min blood draw. Blood samples were obtained at similar times an
d intervals on the weight lifting days. The MWL consisted of four sets
of six squats at 90-95% of a six-repetition maximum (RM), while the L
WL consisted of four sets of 9 or 10 repetitions at 60-65% of the weig
ht used for the sets during MWL. There was a significant increase in s
erum testosterone concentrations following the fourth set for both MWL
and LWL when compared with baseline concentrations and both MWL and L
WL testosterone concentrations returned to baseline levels at 10 min p
ostexercise. These results indicate that MWL and LWL caused increases
in serum testosterone that were greater than those associated with bas
eline levels. Postexercise responses for the MWL and LWL were similar.