SERUM GROWTH FACTORS CHANGE WITH TRAINING BUT IN NO USEFUL WAY

Hickson, R. C., Koziris, L. P., Chatterton, R. T., Groseth, R. T., Christie, J, M., & Unterman, T. G. (1998). Serum insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and IGF binding protein (BP) -1, -3 adaptations to training. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 30(5), Supplement abstract 989.

This study examined resting levels of serum IGF-I and IGFBP-1 and IGFBP-3 in competitive collegiate swimmers (M = 20; F = 9) at several time points (T1-pretraining, T2-after two months, T3-after four months (pre-taper), and T4-end of season).

Serum growth factors changed as a response to training but gender differences and training-stage differences were not obvious.

Implication. Broad changes were observed in serum growth factors in swimmers over a training period of four months. No clear indications related to training stage or gender were evident.

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