Exercise-induced dysfunction of hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad and the effects of Chinese herbs in rats
The changes of hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad function and metabolism of exercise-induced lower serum testosterone(EILST) rats were studied. The results showed that the serum testosterone concentrations was lowered in EILST rats, but was not in the rats treated with Chinese herbs. The activities of renal anaerobic metabolism enzymes decreased in all rats. After swimming for five weeks, the muscle and liver glycogen concentrations increased in EILST rats. The MDH activity increased, while the activities of CK and PK unchanged in quadriceps of EILST rats. Chinese herbs did not change all these effects of exercise. The α-actin gene expression in quadriceps was decreased in EILST rats, but was normal in the rats treated with Chinese herbs.