Kvorning, Thue, Marianne Andersen, Kim Brixen, and Klavs Madsen. Suppression of endogenous testosterone production attenuates the response to strength training: a randomized, placebo-controlled, and blinded intervention study. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 291: E1325-E1332, 2006. First published July 25, 2006 doi:10.1152/ajpendo.00143.2006.-We hypothesized that suppression of endogenous testosterone would inhibit the adaptations to strength training in otherwise healthy men. Twenty-two young men with minor experience with strength training participated in this randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded intervention study. The subjects were randomized to treatment with the GnRH analog goserelin (3.6 mg) or placebo (saline) subcutaneously every 4 wk for 12 wk. The strength training period of 8 wk, starting at week 4, included exercises for all major muscles [3-4 sets per exercise ϫ 6 -10 repetitions with corresponding 6-to 10-repetition maximum (RM) loads, 3/wk]. A strength test, blood sampling, and whole body DEXA scan were performed at weeks 4 and 12. Endogenous testosterone decreased significantly (P Ͻ 0.01) in the goserelin group from 22.6 Ϯ 5.5 (mean Ϯ SD) nmol/l to 2.0 Ϯ 0.5 (week 4) and 1.1 Ϯ 0.6 nmol/l (week 12), whereas it remained constant in the placebo group. The goserelin group showed no changes in isometric knee extension strength after training, whereas the placebo group increased from 240.2 Ϯ 41.3 to 264.1 Ϯ 35.3 Nm (P Ͻ 0.05 within and P ϭ 0.05 between groups). Lean mass of the legs increased 0.37 Ϯ 0.13 and 0.57 Ϯ 0.30 kg in the goserelin and placebo groups, respectively (P Ͻ 0.05 within and P ϭ 0.05 between groups). Body fat mass increased 1.4 Ϯ 1.0 kg and decreased 0.6 Ϯ 1.2 kg in the goserelin and placebo groups, respectively (P Ͻ 0.05 within and between groups). We conclude that endogenous testosterone is of paramount importance to the adaptation to strength training.