Purpose

Few data exist on dihydrotestosterone (DHT) adaptation to exercise-related stress. The aim of the study was to investigate on serum DHT and other androgens’ responses to acute aerobic exercises, and to verify if a long-acting phosphodiesterase’s type 5 inhibitors could influence these responses, as previously observed for salivary testosterone.

Methods

In a double-blind cross over study, 12 healthy trained male volunteers were submitted to both an acute sub-maximal and maximal exercise tests on cycle ergometer, after randomly receiving a two days placebo or tadalafil administration (20 mg, Cialis^®, Ely-Lilly, Indianapolis, IN, USA). Blood sample collections were performed at different time points before and after exercise. Serum DHT, total testosterone (TT), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) and luteinizing hormone (LH), were assayed.

Results

Serum DHT increase in placebo treatment immediately post maximal aerobic exercise and return to basal values at 60 min of recovery whereas tadalafil administration significantly reduced the DHT increase after exercise. The values of areas under curves showed the increase of TT after acute sub-maximal and maximal exercise and of DHEAS only after acute maximal aerobic exercise independently from treatment.

Conclusions

In addition to testosterone, also DHT plays an exercise-related adaptive role during high intensity aerobic exercise, but its rapid useful effects during exercise have to be determined. We hypothesized that the increased androgens secretion during exercise could be mainly related to steroidogenic enzymes modifications in peripheral tissues (i.e., muscles). Moreover, the blunting effect of tadalafil on DHT increase support a possible role of peripheral nitric oxide/GMPc related pathways in influencing physical-stress related DHT metabolism.