Korean J Sports Med.  2018 Dec;36(4):214-220. 10.5763/kjsm.2018.36.4.214.

Effect of Ultramarathon on the Anterior Pituitary and Thyroid Hormones

• Shin KA
• Kim YJ

• KMID: 2428005
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5763/kjsm.2018.36.4.214

Abstract

PURPOSE
The purpose of this research is to study changes in pituitary hormone in anterior lobe and thyroid hormone before, after, and during recovery time in severe 100 km ultramarathon.
METHODS
Healthy middle-aged runners (age, 52.0±4.8 years) participated in the test. Grade exercise test is done, and then blood is taken from those participants before and after completing 100 km ultramarathon at the intervals of 24 hours (1 day), 72 hours (3 days), and 120 hours (5 days) to analyze their luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), and free thyroxine (Free T4).
RESULTS
For LH, it decreased more significantly at 100 km than pre-race. However, after 1 day result increased more than that of 100 km. At 3 days, it was significantly higher than pre-race and 100 km, recovering at 5 days. In terms of FSH, it decreased at 100 km, 1 day, and 3 days more than pre-race but recovered at 5 days. TSH was higher at 1 day and 5 days compared to pre-race. T3 was only higher at 100 km than pre-race. T4 was higher till 5 days at 100 km than pre-race. Free T4 increased more significantly at 100 km than pre-race.
CONCLUSION
In terms of severe long distance running, LH and FSH which belong to hormone from anterior lobe as well as T3, T4, and Free T4 which belong to thyroid hormone showed their variation within the standard range. However, TSH showed abnormal increase from enhanced concentration of blood after marathon becoming hyper-activation even during the recovery period.

Keyword

Follicle-stimulating hormone; Luteinizing hormone; Thyroid hormones; Triiodothyronine; Running

MeSH Terms

Exercise Test
Follicle Stimulating Hormone
Luteinizing Hormone
Running
Thyroid Gland*
Thyroid Hormones*
Thyrotropin
Thyroxine
Triiodothyronine
Follicle Stimulating Hormone
Luteinizing Hormone
Thyroid Hormones
Thyrotropin
Thyroxine
Triiodothyronine

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Change of luteinizing (LH) according to distance and recovery phase in 100 km ultramarathon. Normal range, 1.70–8.60 mIU/mL. *Significantly different from the pre-race at p<0.05.

• 

  Fig. 2 Change of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) according to distance and recovery phase in 100 km ultramarathon. Normal range, 1.50–12.40 mIU/mL. *Significantly different from the pre-race at p<0.05; †Significantly different from the 100 km at p<0.05; ‡Significantly different from the 1 day at p<0.05.

• 

  Fig. 3 Change of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) according to distance and recovery phase in 100 km ultramarathon. Normal range, 0.270–4.20 uIU/mL. *Significantly different from the pre-race at p<0.05; †Significantly different from the 100 km at p<0.05.

• 

  Fig. 4 Change of triiodothyronine (T3) according to distance and recovery phase in 100 km ultramarathon. Normal range, 0.80–2.00 ng/mL. *Significantly different from the pre-race at p<0.05; †Significantly different from the 100 km at p<0.05.

• 

  Fig. 5 Change of thyroxine (T4) according to distance and recovery phase in 100 km ultramarathon. Normal range, 5.10–14.10 µg/dL. *Significantly different from the pre-race at p<0.05; †Significantly different from the 100 km at p<0.05; ‡Significantly different from the 3 day at p<0.05.

• 

  Fig. 6 Change of free thyroxine (Free T4) according to distance and recovery phase in 100 km ultramarathon. Normal range, 0.93–1.70 ng/dL. *Significantly different from the pre-race at p<0.05; †Significantly different from the 100 km at p<0.05; ‡Significantly different from 3 day at p<0.05.

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