Plasma human growth hormone ([HGH]), adrenaline ([A]), noradrenaline ([NA]) and blood lactate ([La-](b)) concentrations were measured during progressive, multistage exercise on a cycle ergometer in 12 endurance-trained athletes [aged 32.0 (SEM 2.0) years]. Exercise intensities (3 min each) were increased by 50 W until the subjects felt exhausted. Venous blood samples were taken after each intensity. The [HGH] and catecholamine concentrations increased negligibly during exercise of low to moderate intensities revealing an abrupt rise at the load corresponding to the lactate threshold ([La-]-T). Close correlations (P <0.001) were found between [La-]b and plasma [HGH] (r = 0.64), [A] (r = 0.71) and [NA] (r = 0.81). The mean threshold exercise intensities for [HGH], [A] and [NA], detected by log-log transformation, [154 (SEM 19) W, 162 (SEM 15) W and 160 (SEM 17) W, respectively] were not significantly different from the [La-]-T [161 (SEM 12) W]. The results indicated that the threshold rise in plasma [HGH] followed the patterns of plasma catecholamine and blood lactate accumulation during progressive exercise in the endurance-trained athletes.
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