Health-related physical fitness and quality of life in men with congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism

Abstract

Congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism is a rare disorder characterised by impaired testosterone secretion since birth, and represents a valuable model for studying the effects of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) in humans. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate all health-related physical fitness (HRPF) components and quality of life in a series of eight men with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism under regular TRT. The study group was compared to a control group of 16 healthy subjects paired for age, body mass index and physical activity. Body composition, aerobic capacity, muscular strength and endurance, and joint flexibility were evaluated in two different 7-day interval time points, based on the pharmacokinetics of testosterone in the hypogonadal group. Quality of life was assessed by the WHOQOL-brief questionnaire. Both groups had similar performances in all HRPF components evaluated, independently of plasma testosterone levels (p > .05). Quality of life was also similar in the four domains analysed (p > .05). The results of this pilot study suggest that regular testosterone replacement was efficient in providing HRPF and quality of life in a series of congenitally hypogonadal men to levels like those observed in healthy men. In addition, acute fluctuations in plasma testosterone did not correlate with changes in muscle strength and endurance.

Reduced Quality of Life and Sexual Satisfaction in Isolated Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism

“…Surprisingly, we found that the untreated patients experienced a comparable level of overall HRQoL, SS and depressive symptoms as the hormonally treated IHH subjects. Our results are contrary to those of Mileski et al, who observed that QoL is similar in hypogonadism under regular TRT compared to healthy male volunteers [42]. The fact that a relatively small group of untreated patients completed the given questionnaire could have influenced such a comparison in our study.…”

The Physiological and Morphological Benefits of Shadowboxing

“…Previous studies comparing results from the PFT to laboratory measurements of VO2max as a reference method have demonstrated that the PFT is a valid (accurate) and reliable (consistent) method for assessing aerobic capacity in human subjects [Vainamo et al, 1998;Vainamo et al, 1996;Polar, 2019a]. Further, the PFT is commonly used in the exercise physiology literature for the assessment of aerobic capacity [Mileski et al, 2018;Brum et al, 2013;Tumiati et al, 2008;Borodulin et al, 2006;Borodulin et al, 2005;Borodulin et al, 2004].…”

“…Since traditional exercise programs train muscles and not movements, traditional exercise programs offer little in terms of functional performance benefits and can even lead to functional performance deficits, pain, and injury [Clark, Lucett, Kirkendall, 2010]. Given the growing interest in functional training programs over traditional exercise programs, fitness clubs have increasingly incorporated more functional training tools (TRX suspension systems, ViPRs, medicine balls, battle ropes, kettlebells, and fitness playground setups), functional training classes (boxing, kickboxing, and obstacle courses), and more open space into their training environments to facilitate functional training among club members [Rubin, 2013;McCall, 2019]. In fact, between 2013 and 2018, nearly 4,000 boxing gyms opened in the United States and the boxing fitness industry made a total of $1.2 billion [Landsverk, 2019].…”

Highly efficient, solvent-free esterification of testosterone promoted by a recyclable polymer-supported tosylic acid catalyst under microwave irradiation

“…Testosterone (1, androst-4-en-17β-ol-3-one or 17β-hydroxyandrost-4-en-3-one), the major male sex hormone naturally secreted by Leydig cells in the testes, is an organic molecule important not only from a physiological point of view [as it is essential for male sexual differentiation, growth and function of the male genital tract, masculinized secondary sexual characteristics, sexual potency, production of spermatozoa (spermatogenesis) and male fertility], but also from the perspective of medicinal chemistry and drug design. 1 Therefore, testosterone provides a key starting material for various active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) of many registered drugs, which are most often used to treat a variety of endocrine disorders, such as male hypogonadism (hypoandrogenism) [2][3][4] and hypoactive sexual desire disorder in women (HSDD). [5][6][7][8] While testosterone constitutes a prominent example of an anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) substance, it is also utilized for distinct androgen-requiring therapies along with male-hormone replacement therapy (M-HRT), [9][10][11] female androgen deficiency syndrome (FAIS) therapy, [12][13][14][15] and the masculinizing hormone therapy.…”