Hormonal responses to resistance exercise in long-term trained and untrained middle-aged men.

This cross-sectional study compared hormonal responses to resistance exercise between trained and untrained men to investigate the adaptations of the endocrine system to long-term strength training in middle-aged men. Twenty-one middle-aged men were recruited for this study and matched into a strength-trained group (SG) (n = 10) and an untrained group (UG) (n = 11). In the SG, the individuals had practiced strength training for hypertrophy for at least 3 years. Upper- and lower-body muscle strength was measured with a 1 repetition maximum (1RM) test. Blood samples were collected at rest and after multiple sets of a superset strength training protocol (SSTP), with an intensity of 75% of 1RM values. With these blood samples, the levels of total testosterone (TT), free testosterone (FT), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), cortisol, and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) were determined. In addition, the TT-to-cortisol ratio and TT-to-SHBG ratio were calculated. There was no difference at rest between groups in hormonal values for TT, FT, DHEA, cortisol, the TT-to-SHBG ratio, and the TT-to-cortisol ratio. There were increases after SSTP in the levels of TT, FT, DHEA, and cortisol and the TT-to-SHBG ratio in the UG, but only FT increased in the SG. The SG demonstrated lower values in the TT-to-SHBG ratio after the training session. These results suggest the presence of alterations in anabolic and catabolic hormonal responses to resistance exercise in long-term trained middle-aged men, with the trained subjects demonstrating lower responsiveness in the hormone values. Long-term trained men seem to require a higher volume of training, at least similar to their daily workout, to stimulate greater hormone responses.

Correlations between serum and salivary hormonal concentrations in response to resistance exercise.

The aim of present study was to examine the relationships between serum and salivary values of free testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone, and cortisol before and after a session of resistance exercise. Twenty-eight healthy men (mean age 40 years, s = 4) participated in the present study. Serum and salivary samples were collected at rest and after a multiple-sets resistance exercise protocol, of approximately 25 minutes duration. Concentrations of free testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone, and cortisol were measured using radioimmunoassay kits. No significant correlation was observed between serum free testosterone and salivary testosterone (r = 0.22 to 0.26, P > 0.05). Serum cortisol was significantly correlated with salivary cortisol before (r = 0.52, P = 0.005) and after (r = 0.62, P = 0.001) the exercise protocol. Serum and salivary concentrations of dehydroepiandrosterone were significantly correlated before (r = 0.68, P < 0.001) and after (r = 0.7, P < 0.001) exercise. The results of the present study suggest that even under exercise conditions, the salivary values of cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone can reflect the behaviour of these hormones in blood. However, further studies are necessary to verify if salivary testosterone reflects the behaviour of serum free testosterone during resistance exercise.

Exposição a agrotóxicos em agricultores do Movimento Sem Terra / Exposure to pesticides in farmers Landless Movement / Exposición a plaguicidas en agricultores sin tierra

Em 1993 agricultores do Movimento Sem-Terra ocuparam uma fazenda no sul do Brasil onde havia um depósito de agrotóxicos organoclorados. O objetivo desta investigação foi avaliar as condições de saúde dos agricultores expostos. Trata-se de um estudo epidemiológico do tipo descritivo transversal, com informação recordatória nos períodos: anterior ao acampamento (vida anterior a 1993), durante o acampamento (oito meses em 1993) e após o assentamento (até 1998). Para coleta dos dados foi elaborado um instrumento com questões de caracterização demográfica, história de exposição e de sinais e sintomas. Foram entrevistados 140 indivíduos trabalhadores adultos. A forma de exposição relatada foi o preparo, a aplicação dos produtos e/ou relato de trabalho em culturas determinadas. O desfecho estudado foram três ou mais sinais ou sintomas simultâneos após o relato de exposição. Os resultados apontam 16, 8 e 29 agricultores com relato compatível com o desfecho, antes, durante a ocupação e após o assentamento respectivamente. Os equipamentos de proteção individual foram rara e inadequadamente utilizados. Há evidências da necessidade de realização de estudos posteriores visando à compreensão dos efeitos da exposição aos agrotóxicos e indicam a necessidade da elaboração de programas educativos para serem desenvolvidos junto a agricultores para a prevenção das intoxicações.

In 1993 motion Without-land farmers occupied a farm in southern Brazil where there was a deposit of organochlorine pesticides. The objective of this investigation was to evaluate health conditions of farmers exposed. This is an epidemiological study of the descriptive type, with reminder message information in periods: before the camp (life before 1993), during the camp (eight months in 1993) and after the settlement (until 1998). For a data collection instrument with issues of demographic characterization, exposure history and signs and symptoms. 140 workers adult individuals were interviewed. The form of exhibition preparation, was reported the application of products and/or work account in certain cultures. The outcome studied were three or more simultaneous signs or symptoms after exposure reporting. The results show 16, 8 and 29 farmers report compatible with the outcome, before, during and after the settlement respectively. The individual protection equipment were rare and inappropriately used. There is evidence of the need for further studies aimed at understanding the effects of exposure to pesticides and indicate the need for the development of educational programmes to be developed with the farmers for prevention of intoxications.

Em 1993 movimiento campesinos sin tierra ocuparon una finca en el sur de Brasil donde había un depósito de plaguicidas organoclorados. El objetivo de esta investigación fue evaluar las condiciones de salud de los agricultores expuestos. Se trata de un estudio epidemiológico de tipo descriptivo, con información de un mensaje recordatorio en periodos: antes del campamento (la vida antes de 1993), durante el campamento (ocho meses en 1993) y después del establecimiento (hasta 1998). De un instrumento de colección de datos con temas de caracterización demográfica, historia de exposición y signos y síntomas. se entrevistaron a individuos adultos de 140 trabajadores. La forma de preparación de la exposición, fue reportado la aplicación de productos o trabajo cuenta en ciertas culturas. Los resultados estudiados fueron tres o más signos simultáneos o síntomas tras la exposición. Los resultados muestran a los agricultores 16, 8 y 29 Informe compatible con el resultado, antes, durante y después del establecimiento respectivamente. El equipo de protección individual eran raros y usados inadecuadamente. Existen evidencias de la necesidad de estudios adicionales encaminadas a comprender los efectos de la exposición a plaguicidas e indican la necesidad para el desarrollo de programas educativos a desarrollar con los agricultores para la prevención de las intoxicaciones.

Pesquisando intoxicaçöes por agrotóxicos durante o curso de enfermagem: relato de experiência / Studying pesticide's poisoning during nursing course: experience account

O objetivo deste trabalho é relatar a experiência de acadêmicos de enfermagem no desenvolvimento de um projeto de pesquisa. O trabalho teve início a partir da identificaçäo de um problema de saúde pública em um assentamento, quando aproximadamente 1.200 pessoas acamparam próximo a um depósito de agrotóxicos organoclorados...