Hormone Use and Abuse by Athletes

Physical activity exerts an important influence on the endocrine system, modulating synthesis and secretion of several hormones. Almost every organ and system in the body is affected by physical activity and exercise, mainly through the endocrine and neuroendocrine system. Mode, intensity, and duration of the exercise bout, age, gender and fitness level of the individual as well as environmental and psychological factors may affect the endocrine response to physical activity.

On the other hand, several hormones are able to influence physical performance and body composition. Thus, a bi-univocal interrelationship between exercise and hormones exists.

In this book new developments on metabolic and endocrine response to exercise are revised and introduce the "hot topic" of hormonal doping in sports. In the past decades, hormone abuse has become a widespread habit among professional and – most of all and more frequently – recreational athletes. A substantial part of this volume is devoted to the effects of exogenous hormones on performance. Anabolic steroids, growth hormone and erythropoietin properties, use and misuse in sports are widely described. Specific methods to detect hormone abuse are presented and discussed.

The contributors to this volume are well-known experts and dedicated researchers in the fields of sports medicine and endocrinology, endocrine physiology, pharmacology, and doping detection.

The purpose of this volume is to provide all professionals involved in sports medicine and endocrinology a state-of-the-art overview of the complex interactions between physical activity and the endocrine system and to focus on hormone abuse in sports at competitive and recreational level highlighting its negative consequences for long-term health.

• Anabolic Steroids
• Endocrine
• Erythropoietin
• Exercise

From the reviews:

“Part of the Series Endocrine Uptakes, this timely book is written by an international team. It has 17 chapters. … For all those practicing sport medicine.” (Pediatric Endocrinology Reviews (PER), Vol. 9 (2), December, 2011)

“Hormone Use and Abuse by Athletes is a 178-page volume comprising 17 chapters written by clinicians and researchers in endocrinology from the United States, Europe, and Australia. … The most important contribution of Hormone Use and Abuse by Athletes is its excellent, comprehensive, evidence-based review of how direct and indirect methods can be used … . Hormone Use and Abuse by Athletes is highly recommended for all involved in working with athletes.” (Dilip R. Patel, Journal of the American Medical Association, May, 2011)

“This book illustrates the impact of the physiological and endocrinological changes of exogenous hormones on athletes … . The authors are well-known experts and researchers in the fields of endocrinology, endocrine physiology, pharmacology, and doping detection. Their audience includes all professionals involved in sports medicine and endocrinology. … book provides a solid foundation in the physiology and endocrinology of hormone effects in sports. It also discusses at great length the most commonly abused hormones with respect to their long-term effects, toxicity, and detection.” (Haihong Mao, Doody’s Book Reviews, January, 2011)

• , Division of Endocrinology, Diabetology a, University of Torino, Torino, Italy

  Ezio Ghigo, Fabio Lanfranco

• , Division of Clinical Endocrinology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany

  Christian J. Strasburger

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