URINE EXCRETION OF ANDROGEN HORMONES IN PROFESSIONAL RACING CYCLISTS

This study was performed on 16 professional racing cyclists to examine changes in urine concentrations of androgen hormones (testosterone, e pitestosterone, androsterone, etiocholanolone, 11-hydroxy-androsterone and 11-hydroxy-etiocholanolone) and plasma sex hormone binding globul in (SHBG) after training and after competition. The urinary concentrat ions of androgen hormones decreased during the period of training and increased during competition, this being the reverse of what happened to SHBG plasma concentrations. These changes would suggest that physic al activity may have an influence on the elimination of androgen hormo nes and on the synthesis of its transporting protein SHBG.