Effect of four weeks HIT on the levels of GH, IGF-1, IGFBP-3 and serum cortisol in Iran women national basketball team

High-intensity interval training (HIT) is an efficient means of improving performance in a short period of time. The effects of HIT program on performance، physiological and resting levels of growth hormone (GH)، IGF-1، IGFBP-3 and Cortisol in elite athletes are not well known. So، present study was provided by effect of four weeks HIT on some hormonal variables. For this work، fourteen of Iranian volunteer players in national Basketball team (Mean±SD، age=23/0±3/24، weight=63/6±8/50، BMI=21/8±3/15) were selected and were randomly divided into two groups: Experimental (EXP: n=7) and Control (CON: n=7) groups. Resting blood samples were collected before and after the training. Both groups followed the same basketball training program for four weeks، additionally EXP group performed Running-based anaerobic sprint test (RAST) (six 35-m runs at maximum pace with a 10-second recovery between each run) as a HIT protocol for four weeks، two sessions per week. Statistical analysis was done by analysis of covariance (ANCOVA)، using Spss 16 and P value <0/05 was considered significant. According the results of ANCOVA test EXP group showed significant improvement in GH، IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 EXP (p=0/012،p=0/013،p=0/015)، while Cortisol tended to decrease in EXP group (p=0/119). The current findings suggest that HIT program with short recovery can increase hormones anabolic and changes observed in GH، IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 suggest exercise training –induced anabolic adaptations.